Former world champion Kramnik faces disciplinary action over Naroditsky controversy

Russia's Vladimir Kramnik meets the media during a news conference after the 10th game of the Chess World Championship in the Art and Exhibition Hall of the Federal Republic of Germany in Bonn, western Germany, Monday, Oct. 27, 2008.

Former world champion Vladimir Kramnik is facing disciplinary proceedings over public attacks on U.S. grandmaster Daniel Naroditsky, whose sudden death this week at 29 has prompted outrage and calls for action, the international chess federation (FIDE) said on Wednesday.

The cause of Naroditsky’s death has not been made public.

• American chess grandmaster Daniel Naroditsky dies at 29

A popular streamer and commentator, Naroditsky was accused by Kramnik of cheating online last year.

“I, along with the FIDE Management Board, will formally refer all relevant public statements made by GM Vladimir Kramnik — both before and after the tragic death of GM Daniel Naroditsky — to the FIDE Ethics and Disciplinary Commission for independent consideration,” FIDE president Arkady Dvorkovich said in a statement.

Naroditsky denied any wrongdoing and appeared visibly distressed in his final Twitch broadcast last weekend, where he referred to the toll the controversy had taken on him, according to the now-deleted video.

World No. 2 Hikaru Nakamura condemned Kramnik’s conduct in a stream following Naroditsky’s death, using an expletive to denounce the Russian’s behavior. Former world champion Magnus Carlsen told viewers in a separate broadcast that Kramnik’s treatment of Naroditsky was “horrible.”

Indian grandmaster Nihal Sarin said on X that Kramnik “needs to pay for what he’s doing,” saying Naroditsky had been under “immense stress” from the accusations. Chess streamer Nemo Zhou also urged FIDE to intervene, calling the situation “unacceptable.”

Special award for Naroditsky

FIDE expressed condolences to Naroditsky’s family and said it would honor him with a special award recognizing his contributions as a player, teacher and commentator.

Kramnik, the world champion from 2000-07 and widely considered one of the greatest chess players, has made similar public accusations against other players in recent years.

“What public statement after the death of Daniel was incorrect? ... I demand clarification from Mr. President. I have not bullied Daniel Naroditsky, nor ever made personal insults towards him,” the 50-year-old, who retired from competitive chess in 2019, told Reuters.

He said FIDE should also consider bullying and damaging statements towards him, including murder threats, from multiple members of the chess community, but did not offer specifics.

Naroditsky, a Stanford graduate and former world under-12 champion whose parents were Jewish emigrants from the Soviet Union, was a leading figure in online chess with hundreds of thousands of followers across YouTube and Twitch.

He finished ninth in last year’s blitz world championship.

(Reporting by Julien PretotEditing by Christian Radnedge)