Following the tragic death of 29-year-old American Grandmaster Daniel Naroditsky earlier this week, FIDE president Arkady Dvorkovich confirmed on Wednesday that the world chess body will probe all public statements made by former world champion Vladimir Kramnik, both “before and after” the incident.
Kramnik, who had previously accused Naroditsky of cheating in online chess, raised suspicions about Naroditsky’s sudden passing and posted a series of explosive tweets questioning the circumstances. During his final livestream on Twitch on Saturday, Naroditsky had said, “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.”
Following his death, Kramnik hinted at potential substance abuse and deteriorating mental health. In a conversation with this newspaper, Indian GM Nihal Sarin, the last player Naroditsky faced on the popular online forum chess.com, insinuated Kramnik’s repeated accusations against the American player of cheating while playing online had played a part in his death – an allegation that Naroditsky had firmly denied.
“I, along with the FIDE Management Board, will formally refer all relevant public statements made by GM Vladimir Kramnik — both before and after the tragic death of GM Daniel Naroditsky — to the FIDE Ethics and Disciplinary Commission for independent consideration,” wrote Dvorkovich in a public statement. In his announcement made public on Wednesday, Dvorkovich also acknowledged that public discussions on chess forums can often lead to harassment, bullying, or personal attacks.
Kramnik, in response, has threatened to take legal action against FIDE. Speaking to Russian outlet Match TV, Kramnik said he was “shocked” by Naroditsky’s death but firmly rejected claims from FIDE officials that his comments contributed to a toxic atmosphere around the young player. “Naroditsky’s death is a great tragedy, a shock, including for me. We don’t know the circumstances of Daniel’s death. It seems to me that the federation should investigate all the circumstances surrounding his departure,” Kramnik told Match TV.
The Russian insisted his remarks were taken out of context and accused FIDE leadership, particularly Dvorkovich and CEO Emil Sutovsky, of launching a “smear campaign” against him.
“Dvorkovich doesn’t support my statements after Naroditsky’s death. Sutovsky says the same. But I don’t understand what they’re talking about,” Kramnik said. “I never said anything bad about him, and I demand that FIDE back up these accusations with an actual quote. Otherwise, this could become the subject of legal proceedings.”
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He added, “We still don’t know what happened to Naroditsky, what the reasons for his death were. And at this point, FIDE launches such a campaign against me instead of considering my arguments earlier. This is insulting and unfair because they are not interested in what happened to Daniel, despite the extremely dubious circumstances of his sudden death.”
As questions regarding Naroditsky’s mysterious death continue, a recent development indicates he was found unconscious in his home on Sunday before his death was confirmed. According to NBC News, Charlotte Chess Center chief spokesperson Kelly Centrelli confirmed that Naroditsky was discovered unconscious on a couch at his home by the club’s founder and Naroditsky’s good friend, Peter Giannatos, and grandmaster Oleksandr Bortnyk.
Local police confirmed to the Daily Mail that they suspect Naroditsky may have died by suicide or accidentally overdosed, and are awaiting toxicology results to determine the cause. According to the British outlet, there were no signs of foul play, and investigators do not suspect criminal activity.
Daniel’s mother, Elena Naroditsky, said there was nothing more important to her son than his dignity. “There was nothing more important to Daniel than his dignity and his name as a chess player,” she told the Daily Mail.
