The International Chess Federation (FIDE) has launched an investigation into Russian grandmaster Vladimir Kramnik for making “public statements” against the American grandmaster. Daniel “Danya” Naroditsky before and after the shocking death of a 29-year-old prodigy Monday.
FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich said on Wednesday that The organization's Ethics and Disciplinary Committee will review these comments. “for independent review.”
“Human life and dignity are fundamental values that we all share. While we deeply respect and love the game of chess that unites our community, these values must always come first,” Dvorkovich wrote. “In recent times, public debate in the chess world has too often gone beyond the bounds of what is acceptable, damaging not only people's reputations, but their very well-being.”
Such behavior, he said, can escalate into “harassment, bullying and personal attacks.”
Given the “indisputable” achievements and “contribution to our sport” of 50-year-old Kramnik, Dvorkovich said such “high standards… also come with a responsibility to uphold the principles of fairness and respect and to be ambassadors of the sport.”
Dvorkovich and the FIDE board will forward to the commission all of his “relevant public statements… both before and after the tragic death of Grandmaster Daniel Naroditsky.”
He also promised that the federation would “take appropriate action” whenever it identifies “a lack of respect, public harassment or bullying… within the chess community.”
Naroditsky's family announced his “unexpected transition” Monday in a statement released by the Charlotte Chess Center in North Carolina, where he coached other players.
The former world chess champion was among many who Kramnik was accused of cheating in online chess matchesaccording to NBC News.
Reuters reports that Naroditsky denied any wrongdoing when discussing the fallout from the scandal last weekend. during his last Twitch broadcast. He reportedly “appeared visibly upset” in the deleted video.
Kramnik, a long-time world champion who retired in 2019, told Reuters after The death of Naroditsky about how he “didn’t mock” the younger chess phenomenon “and never made personal insults towards him.”
