FIDE lodges formal ethics complaint against Vladimir Kramnik after repeated public accusations of cheating
FIDE has formally submitted a complaint to its Ethics & Disciplinary Commission (EDC) naming former world champion Vladimir Kramnik as the respondent.
The complaint is the result of a two-year pattern of public statements and social-media posts by Kramnik alleging cheating by other grandmasters, which FIDE considers potentially in breach of its ethics code regarding harassment and dignity.
Among the players publicly accused by Kramnik are Daniel Naroditsky (USA) and David Navara (Czech Republic).
Naroditsky, aged 29, died suddenly in North Carolina, USA — his death has drawn further scrutiny of Kramnik’s accusations and their impact.
FIDE’s complaint cites not only the unsubstantiated cheating claims, but also comments by Kramnik after Naroditsky’s death that questioned the circumstances, which FIDE viewed as especially damaging.
The process: The EDC Chair will determine admissibility; if accepted, a First Instance Chamber will register the case, notify both parties, and allow Kramnik up to three weeks to respond—followed by possible further exchanges.
FIDE emphasises it remains committed to a fair, independent process and that the submission of the complaint does not imply judgment or pre-determination of guilt.
The issue has sparked wider concern in the chess community about the responsibility of high-profile figures when making public accusations, and the potential harm to the reputations and mental health of those targeted.
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