FIDE mulls disciplinary action against Vladimir Kramnik over cheating allegations against late GM Daniel Naroditsky

Late GM and popular streamer Daniel Naroditsky passed away at the age of 29 last week.

Following the shocking demise of GM Daniel Naroditsky, FIDE is planning disciplinary action against former world champion Vladimir Kramnik for allegedly making relentless cheating accusations against the late American grandmaster and popular streamer who recently passed away.

The intense backlash from the chess community due to FIDE’s lack of involvement towards Kramnik’s public campaign of cheating accusations.

FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich confirmed that Kramnik’s case has been referred to the FIDE Ethics and Disciplinary Commission. If proven, Krammnik faces penalties ranging from suspensions to lifetime bans.

The global chess community has expressed shock and anger over the death of Naroditsky who was popular among Chess lovers for his knowledge and commentary of live events apart from his commendable speed chess skills..

Indian grandmaster Nihal Sarin was one of the first to highlight the potential trouble caused by Krammnik’s allegations and tweeted that the “relentless and baseless accusations” had caused Naroditsky “immense pressure and pain” due to the witch-hunt by the former World Champion. 

The tragedy has reignited conversations about mental health in competitive chess, an issue already spotlighted by previous controversies.

In his defense, Kramnik clarified in a series of tweets that he did not have any intent to bully or harass Naroditsky. He insisted that his goal was to “protect fair play” and that a smear campaign was being orchestrated against him.

Vladmir Kramnik, a respected figure in chess and 2000 world champion, stirred the controversy when he repeatedly accused Naroditsky of cheating during online tournaments, particularly in Chess.com’s titled Tuesday events.

This allegation was refuted by the later who maintained his innocence. The online community and fellow chess masters also shared disbelief as Naroditsky was very reputed for his theoretical knowledge.

Notably, Naroditsky was not the only player targeted, Kramnik allegedly made similar claims against David Navara (Czech Republic) and Tykhon Cherniaiev (Ukraine). All three players denied using any engines and confirmed that the accusations resulted in severe emotional distress.

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