Former Chess Champ Faces Bullying Complaint
A chair plaque in honor of Daniel Naroditsky is seen in the Chess Room at the Mechanic's Institute, the oldest continuously operating chess club in the United States, in San Francisco, Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025. (Stephen Lam/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)
The International Chess Federation (FIDE) announced Tuesday that it has filed a formal ethics complaint against former World Chess Champion Vladimir Kramnik, accusing him of harassment and making unfounded allegations of cheating against fellow grandmasters — including the late Daniel Naroditsky, who passed away last month at age 29.
In a statement, FIDE said the complaint concerns “the insulting of an individual’s dignity” and outlines “a pattern of conduct over roughly two years.” The complaint was submitted to the organization’s Ethics and Disciplinary Commission and includes testimony from Czech grandmaster David Navara — another player Kramnik had accused of cheating — as well as individuals close to Naroditsky.
Naroditsky, a beloved American grandmaster and popular chess educator who helped expand the game’s online reach through YouTube and Twitch, had publicly denied Kramnik’s claims. In what would be his final livestream, Naroditsky spoke about the emotional toll of the accusations, saying, “Ever since the Kramnik stuff, I feel like if I start doing well, people assume the worst of intentions. The issue is just the lingering effect of it.”
Police in Charlotte, North Carolina, where Naroditsky lived, said his death is being investigated as a possible suicide. His close friend and fellow grandmaster Oleksandr Bortnyk said Naroditsky had been “very sad” about the situation, adding that he “never cheated in his life.”
Several leading chess figures — including Hikaru Nakamura and Nihal Sarin — have publicly condemned Kramnik’s conduct, accusing him of harassment. Kramnik, for his part, has described FIDE’s investigation as “insulting and unfair.”
FIDE’s anti-cheating regulations state that players can face sanctions for making unsupported accusations or spreading speculation without evidence. The federation also confirmed there was never any formal investigation into Naroditsky for cheating. Tuesday’s filing marks the official start of disciplinary proceedings against Kramnik.
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