Copyright news18
The chess world is reeling — and it’s not over a game. Indian prodigy Nihal Sarin has come out swinging, accusing former World Champion Vladimir Kramnik of driving American Grandmaster Daniel Naroditsky to his death through relentless, baseless cheating allegations. Naroditsky, 29, one of the most beloved figures in online chess, passed away earlier this week. In an emotional piece he wrote for The Indian Express, the 21-year-old didn’t mince words. “He [Kramnik] has kind of literally taken a life,” Sarin said. “He [Naroditsky] was under immense stress due to a lot of baseless accusations — headed by Kramnik, of course.” While the exact cause of Naroditsky’s death hasn’t been revealed, Sarin said the American GM was crushed under the weight of repeated public attacks by Kramnik, who had accused him of cheating and hinted at substance abuse without any proof. Adding insult to tragedy, Kramnik posted a cryptic “Don’t Do Drugs” message on X (formerly Twitter) after Naroditsky’s death — sparking outrage across the global chess community. Seemingly, conflicts with @chesscom, @freestylechess1, both kicking him out from commentator role,had a big impact lately on @GmNaroditsky. Got the stream episodes. Not a doctor but looks like something “very else” than sleeping pills. Hope,if any, real friends of him will care — Vladimir Kramnik (@VBkramnik) October 20, 2025 pic.twitter.com/oIXCHsx3fC — Vladimir Kramnik (@VBkramnik) October 18, 2025 “Cheating in chess is a problem,” Sarin admitted, “but what Kramnik does is completely unacceptable. He blurts out accusations every day… You kill a thousand innocent guys to get one or two.” “He’s Destroyed His Own Reputation” Sarin went further, saying Kramnik’s smear campaigns have hurt others too — notably Czech GM David Navara, who has publicly admitted the mental toll of being targeted. “Kramnik was a world champion, one of the greatest ever. But now, he’s destroyed his own reputation and caused so much harm,” Sarin said. “He’s literally taken a life and now he’s after Navara — the nicest guy in chess.” Navara reportedly sought FIDE’s help to sanction Kramnik, but no action was taken. Kramnik has since filed a lawsuit against Navara. FIDE CEO Slams “Appalling” Comments — and the Hypocrisy Even FIDE weighed in. CEO Emil Sutovsky called Kramnik’s remarks “appalling and outright shameful” — but also turned the mirror on the wider chess world. In a reflective post on X, Sutovsky said the outpouring of love for Naroditsky after his death rang hollow. Amount of love given to Danya post-mortem is unprecedented. I can’t recall anything of the kind. But here is the problem – where all of you were when Danya was alive and unwell? I am not talking now about stepping in when he was accused. Although it is a separate important… pic.twitter.com/aGenzSFbtl — Emilchess (@EmilSutovsky) October 22, 2025 “Where were all of you when Danya was alive and unwell?” he wrote. “All these attacks didn’t happen this week or month. So, I ask — what did you do to help him?” Sutovsky confirmed that Kramnik’s conduct “cannot be accepted” and that FIDE will act “within its jurisdiction.” But he also noted that Naroditsky had withdrawn from commentary and online appearances months ago, battling loneliness and mental health struggles long before his passing. Chess World in Shock Top players, including Magnus Carlsen, Hikaru Nakamura, and Nihal Sarin, have all voiced concern about the toxicity surrounding cheating accusations in professional chess. Carlsen said Naroditsky “wasn’t in a great space” following the verbal assaults, while Sarin emphasised the unbearable “pressure and pain” caused by the online witch hunt. For now, the game’s spotlight has shifted from the board to a much darker question — one that chess, and its governing bodies, can no longer ignore: when do words become too much? (with agency inputs)
