NEW DELHI
Russian chess great Vladimir Kramnik has filed a defamation lawsuit against world governing body FIDE in a Swiss civil court, escalating an extraordinary dispute that has rocked the global chess community. The former world champion said he was forced to seek legal remedy after what he described as relentless attacks by fellow players and FIDE officials over his allegations of online cheating.
Kramnik became the subject of an ethics inquiry by FIDE following his public claims against several players, including American Grandmaster Daniel Naroditsky, who died last year at the age of 29. While the exact cause of Naroditsky’s death remains unknown, he had spoken in his final livestream about intense mental stress said to be linked to the accusations. Czech Grandmaster David Navara has also stated that similar allegations by Kramnik left him distressed and suicidal.
Posting on social media platform X, Kramnik announced that he had initiated legal proceedings in Lausanne under Swiss law. He said the case will first go through a mandatory preliminary phase lasting two to three months. Kramnik added that the precise legal provisions and the amount of financial compensation sought would be finalised by his legal team before the main claim is formally filed.
He also revealed that a formal request has been delivered to FIDE headquarters seeking preservation of all relevant evidence, including documents, correspondence and electronic records, to ensure nothing is altered or destroyed during the proceedings.
Kramnik strongly rejected criticism from prominent players, including world number one Magnus Carlsen and Indian Grandmaster Nihal Sarin, some of whom accused him of contributing to Naroditsky’s death. He claimed none of his critics had shown the integrity to apologise or retract statements, despite what he called evidence supporting his position.
Importantly, Kramnik asserted that his lawsuit is not a reaction to FIDE’s ethics inquiry into his conduct. FIDE has accused him of a two-year pattern of behaviour that harmed players’ dignity, but Kramnik insists his legal claims go far beyond that complaint and address broader issues of defamation and reputational damage.
