Vladimir Kramnik has sued FIDE for defamation in a Swiss court after being criticised over his cheating allegations and facing an ethics inquiry
The move follows Daniel Naroditsky’s death and distress claims by other accused players, which Kramnik disputes
Kramnik said the case is separate from FIDE’s ethics process and slammed players, including Magnus Carlsen and Nihal Sarin, for blaming him publicly
Former world chess champion Vladimir Kramnik has taken legal action against the International Chess Federation (FIDE), filing a defamation case in a Swiss civil court after being placed under ethics scrutiny for repeatedly accusing fellow players of cheating without what FIDE described as sufficient evidence.
Kramnik announced the move on X, saying he had been left with no option but to pursue legal remedies after sustained criticism from players and officials. FIDE CEO Emil Sutovsky had earlier branded Kramnik’s allegations against American Grandmaster Daniel Naroditsky as "appalling and outright shameful".
Naroditsky, 29, passed away earlier this year, though the exact cause of death has not been made public. In his final livestream, he spoke about being under severe mental pressure linked to the cheating allegations levelled by Kramnik.
Czech Grandmaster David Navara has also said he experienced intense distress and suicidal thoughts after being accused online by Kramnik. Despite the backlash, Kramnik has insisted that his claims were not made without foundation.
"I have initiated formal legal proceedings against FIDE in accordance with Swiss law in the Court of Lausanne. Under the applicable Swiss procedural rules, an obligatory preliminary procedure must first take place. This phase typically lasts 2-3 months," Kramnik said.
He added that the precise legal basis of the case and the compensation he is seeking will be determined later.
The specific legal provisions of the Swiss Code on which the claim is based, as well as the exact amount of financial compensation sought from FIDE, will be finalized and specified by my legal team immediately prior to filing the main claim.
"Additionally, a formal request for the preservation of evidence has been personally delivered to the FIDE headquarters today," he added.
According to Kramnik, this request seeks to ensure that all records relevant to the case are safeguarded. He said a submission has been made to ensure that documents, correspondence and electronic data connected to the proceedings are "properly preserved and not altered, deleted, destroyed, or otherwise made unavailable."
"I will provide further details in due course as the proceedings advance," he said.
Kramnik also hit out at players who have criticised him publicly, including world number one Magnus Carlsen and Indian Grandmaster Nihal Sarin, both of whom accused him of contributing to the circumstances surrounding Naroditsky’s death.
"Several players have publicly named and shamed me. None have shown the integrity to apologise or retract their statements, instead ignoring the evidence that I provided in response," Kramnik said.
The Russian great stressed that his lawsuit is not a reaction to FIDE’s ethics investigation, which was launched after the governing body cited a two-year "pattern of conduct" by Kramnik that allegedly harmed the dignity of players.
"The upcoming court case has little relation to FIDE's complaint to the Ethics Commission (it merely adds points), my legal claims go far beyond the scope of this FIDE action," he said.
FIDE’s ethics inquiry into Kramnik remains ongoing.
With PTI Inputs
