Former Russian world chess champion receives ban over verbal attacks on players

The International Chess Federation (FIDE) has suspended former world champion Vladimir Kramnik after finding him guilty of multiple ethics violations stemming from his repeated public accusations that fellow players cheated in online competition.

FIDE announced on July 3 that the Russian chess grandmaster had been found "responsible for multiple violations" of its Ethics and Disciplinary Code following an investigation into his conduct toward several players, including the late American-born GM Daniel Naroditsky and Czech GM David Navara. 

The governing body imposed a two-year worldwide ban from participating in FIDE competitions or serving in official chess roles. The final 12 months of the suspension were suspended for a three-year probationary period, meaning Kramnik will serve an active one-year ban provided he commits no further violations. He was also ordered to complete 12 months of unpaid service for the benefit of the chess community.

Kramnik, who held the world title from 2000 to 2007, responded that he intends to appeal the decision.

FIDE stressed that the ruling was not intended to determine whether Kramnik's cheating allegations were true or false, but rather addressed the way they were publicly communicated. The federation emphasized that while combating cheating remains one of its highest priorities, such accusations must be supported by evidence and handled through its established disciplinary procedures.

Long-running dispute

Naroditsky, a leading American grandmaster, coach and online commentator known to hundreds of thousands of followers as "Danya," became one of the most prominent targets of Kramnik's public campaign after the former world champion began questioning his online results in 2024.

The California-born grandmaster, whose Jewish parents emigrated from Ukraine and Azerbaijan, repeatedly denied any wrongdoing and said the accusations had taken a significant emotional toll. In an October 2024 interview, he described Kramnik's conduct as "a sustained, evil and absolutely unhinged attempt to destroy my life." 

Naroditsky died in October 2025 at the age of 29. A medical examiner later ruled his death accidental, attributing it to cardiac complications related to systemic sarcoidosis, with methamphetamine and kratom listed as contributory—but non-lethal—factors. 

Following his death, many of the world's top players, including Magnus Carlsen, Hikaru Nakamura and Nihal Sarin, condemned Kramnik's conduct and called for disciplinary action. FIDE subsequently opened an ethics investigation, concluding that Kramnik's repeated public allegations constituted psychological abuse, cyberbullying and reputational harm in violation of its code. 

By Nazrin Sadigova