1 week ago
12
ARTICLE AD BOX
Former world champion Vladimir Kramnik in conversation with Chess24's Mike Klein during round 9 of the Chess Olympiad in Budapest. (FIDE)
Former World Chess Champion and controversial Russian Grandmaster Vladimir Kramnik has filed a lawsuit, suing FIDE, the world chess governing body for defamation in a Swiss civil court after he became the subject of a probe for allegedly harassing players with baseless cheating claims following the shocking death of American Grandmaster Daniel Naroditsky earlier in October.
“As of today, I have initiated formal legal proceedings against FIDE in accordance with Swiss law in the Court of Lausanne,” Kramnik posted on X that he has been forced to take the legal route after being relentlessly attacked by fellow players and FIDE.
Kramnik also shared a video where he is seen delivering handwritten notes directed towards FIDE.
ALSO READ | Nihal Sarin on Daniel Naroditsky’s death: ‘He (Vladimir Kramnik) has kind of literally taken a life
Kramnik’s post read further: “Under the applicable Swiss procedural rules, an obligatory preliminary procedure must first take place. This phase typically lasts 2-3 months. While certain interim decisions may be issued by the court already during this preliminary stage, its primary purpose is to prepare the ground for the main legal proceedings that will follow.”
“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.”
New times, new procedures pic.twitter.com/NpY5R5pxaz
— Vladimir Kramnik (@VBkramnik) December 30, 2025
“Additionally, a formal request for the preservation of evidence has been personally delivered to the FIDE headquarters today.
“This request has been submitted in accordance with the relevant provisions of Swiss law and is intended to ensure that all documents, correspondence, electronic records, and any other evidence potentially relevant to the ongoing legal proceedings against FIDE are properly preserved and not altered, deleted, destroyed, or otherwise made unavailable. I will provide further details in due course as the proceedings advance.”
Story continues below this ad
Earlier, FIDE president Arkady Dvorkovich confirmed that the world chess body will probe all public statements made by former world champion Vladimir Kramnik, both “before and after” the Naroditsky 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.
ALSO READ | ‘In our last conversation, Naroditsky said he would like to share a few things with me in private’
The exact cause of 29-year-old Naroditsky’s death is not known, but in his last livestream on Twitch, he talked about being under immense mental stress over the allegations levelled by Kramnik, 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.”
Story continues below this ad
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.
© IE Online Media Services Pvt Ltd
English (US) ·