A former world chess champion is being investigated over his public assaults on US grandmaster Daniel Naroditsky, who died all of the sudden this week aged 29.
Russian participant Vladimir Kramnik is dealing with disciplinary proceedings over repeated accusations in opposition to Mr Naroditsky.
He was discovered lifeless at his dwelling earlier in North Carolina, and the trigger has not been made public.
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Vladimir Kramnik. Pic: AP
Mr Naroditsky’s supporters declare he had been “bullied relentlessly online” by Mr Kramnik, with some calling for him to be banned from the sport.
Mr Kramnik has accused numerous gamers of dishonest in on-line video games – and first voiced “concerns” about Mr Naroditsky’s play final yr, resulting in an ongoing feud between the pair.
The 50-year-old routinely posted on-line about his youthful rival, calling for an investigation into his play and at occasions showing to threaten authorized motion.
In an October 2024 interview, Mr Naroditsky characterised Mr Kramnik’s efforts as “a sustained, evil and absolutely unhinged attempt to destroy my life”.
Now, following the announcement of Mr Naroditsky’s dying on Monday, the worldwide chess federation (FIDE) has referred Mr Kramnik’s behaviour to its ethics and disciplinary fee.
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Naroditsky was a well-liked chess streamer on YouTube and Twitch. Pic: AP
FIDE president Arkady Dvorkovich mentioned in a press release: “I, along with the FIDE management board, will formally refer all relevant public statements made by GM (grandmaster) Vladimir Kramnik – both before and after the tragic death of GM Daniel Naroditsky – to the FIDE Ethics and Disciplinary Commission for independent consideration.”
Mr Kramnik has denied wrongdoing, and claims he has additionally been bullied by members of the chess neighborhood – in addition to receiving dying threats.
He advised Reuters: “What public statement after the death of Daniel was incorrect? … I have not bullied Daniel Naroditsky, nor ever made personal insults towards him.”
However outstanding chess gamers have condemned Mr Kramnik’s conduct – with former world champion Magnus Carlsen describing his remedy of Mr Naroditsky as “horrible”.
In the meantime, Indian grandmaster Nihal Sarin mentioned the retired participant “needs to pay for what he’s doing”.
Mr Naroditsky was certainly one of America’s most recognisable chess figures and a former world youth champion.
At simply 14 years outdated, he had written and printed a ebook on the sport – and in later years, educated followers by livestreams on Twitch and YouTube.
Mr Naroditsky denied dishonest and appeared visibly distressed in his last Twitch broadcast final weekend, the place he referred to the toll the controversy had taken on him, in keeping with the now-deleted video.
