The International Chess Federation (FIDE) confirmed on Tuesday that they have formally filed a complaint against GM Vladimir Kramnik, the 14th world champion, referring him to the Ethics & Disciplinary Commission (EDC) for investigation into the alleged harassment and bullying of GM Daniel Naroditsky.
Naroditsky, the popular grandmaster, commentator, creator, and educator, unexpectedly passed away on October 19 at the early age of 29, and his death sparked a massive wave of tributes from fans and players in the chess world.
In a press release on Tuesday, FIDE named Kramnik as the respondent in the complaint, citing a “pattern of conduct” involving repeated public accusations against Naroditsky and Czech GM David Navara. The latter wrote a deeply personal blog post describing suicidal thoughts in the aftermath of a tweet where Kramnik named him.
FIDE wrote:
The complaint outlines a pattern of conduct over roughly two years and cites several public statements and materials that FIDE considers relevant to potential violations related to harassment and the insulting of an individual’s dignity.
Kramnik, the former world champion and one of the greatest players to ever compete in the game, has become an increasingly polarizing figure in the chess world since launching his campaign against what he believes is a cheating epidemic in chess. While he insists he has never directly accused anyone of cheating, saying he is merely asking questions, the chess community has widely interpreted some of his posts and videos as an accusation of foul play.
At the end of 2023, Chess.com muted Kramnik’s account following repeated accusations against other players. He was later suspended from prize events and is now permanently banned, following what Chess.com called repeated, and egregious, violations of the company’s Community Policy.
Since Naroditsky’s passing, several prominent players have also criticized Kramnik’s actions. GM Magnus Carlsen recently described his former colleague’s treatment of Naroditsky as “horrible”, while GM Levon Aronian suggested he gets “professional help.” GMs Hikaru Nakamura and Nihal Sarin have also described Kramnik’s conduct as harassment.
Naroditsky publicly denied the accusations and, during his final Twitch stream before his passing, spoke candidly about the mental toll of Kramnik’s campaign: “The problem is, ever since the Kramnik stuff, I feel like if I start doing well, people assume the worst of intentions,” he said, adding: “The issue is just the lingering effect of it.”
Following Naroditsky’s death, Kramnik continued to post about the American GM, suggesting “the real truth” behind the tragedy was being “hidden.”
Public outrage has also continued to grow beyond social media. A Change.org petition, which has now gathered more than 52,000 signatures, calls on FIDE to impose sanctions on both Kramnik and FIDE CEO GM Emil Sutovsky.
The petition alleges that both made statements that were “insensitive, speculative, and damaging” in the wake of Naroditsky’s passing, and calls on FIDE to revoke Kramnik’s titles and demand Sutovsky’s resignation.
The case will now be handled by the FIDE’s Ethics & Disciplinary Commission, the independent judicial body chaired by Yolander Persaud. The EDC can impose a range of sanctions, including warnings, fines, suspensions, and, in severe cases, the revocation of titles or lifetime bans from FIDE events and positions.
Persaud explained the process in a public statement:
Once a complaint is filed, the EDC Chair reviews it to determine if it is admissible. If accepted, the Chair identifies the charges and forwards the case to a First Instance Chamber, which will then notify both parties of the registration. The respondent is informed of the initiation of disciplinary proceedings and has up to three weeks to submit a response and any supporting documents. If additional information is required, a second exchange of statements may take place, with each party given up to two weeks to reply. After reviewing all materials, the panel will deliberate privately and issue its decision.
Kramnik turned down Chess.com’s request for comment on Wednesday, adding that he had not been informed of the investigation. He has previously denied ever harassing or insulting Naroditsky.
