Russian chess champ faces investigation over alleged bullying of late American grandmaster
The World Chess Federation has launched an investigation into retired world chess champion Vladimir Kramnik's alleged relentless bullying of American grandmaster Daniel Naroditsky, who recently died at 29.
In a statement on Thursday, Oct. 23, the chess organization, more widely known by the French acronym FIDE, said it is looking into whether it should impose disciplinary sanctions against Kramnik, 50, for repeatedly and publicly disparaging Naroditsky "before and after" the young grandmaster was found dead in his home.
Arkady Dvorkovich, FIDE president, said, "The chess community has long respected the achievements of GM Vladimir Kramnik, and his contributions to our sport are undeniable."
"The same high standards that accompany great achievements, however, also confer a responsibility to uphold the principles of fairness and respect and to be ambassadors for the sport," he continued.
Dvorkovich promised action, but did not specify the type of sanctions the organization would impose on Kramnik if the FIDE Ethics and Disciplinary Commission found him at fault.
"I reaffirm that FIDE will take appropriate action in any case where a lack of respect, public harassment, or bullying is observed within the chess community," he added. "We all share responsibility for ensuring that our sport remains a space of integrity, respect, and humanity—values that must always prevail over hostility and division."
After FIDE released its statement, Kramnik told NBC News in an email that he was the "subject of a bullying and slandering PR campaign." He added that he and his family have received threats to their safety.
Kramnik also denied the bullying claims against him. "What public statement after the death of Daniel was incorrect?" he told Reuters. "I demand clarification from Mr. President [of FIDE]."
"I have not bullied Daniel Naroditsky, nor ever made personal insults towards him," he stressed.
According to Dvorkovich, many top chess players have complained about how Kramnik had persisted in falsely accusing Naroditsky of cheating during online matches. This prompted the FIDE Ethics and Disciplinary Commission to look deeper into the matter.
The FIDE president acknowledged a persistent bullying problem in the chess world. He told NBC News that recently, debates over the outcomes of professional chess matches have spilled over to personal attacks against the players.
Kramnik became one of the top chess players in the world for 20 years before he retired in 2019 at 43 years old. Naroditsky, meanwhile, had a FIDE ranking of 2619, making him the 17th highest-ranked chess player in the US. Internationally, he was also among the top 150 players.
