The International Chess Federation announced Oct. 22 that it is investigating Russian grandmaster Vladimir Kramnik for comments he made surrounding the death of American grandmaster Daniel Naroditsky.

“In recent times, public debate within the chess world has too often moved beyond the boundaries of acceptable, harming not only people’s reputation but their very well-being,” Arkady Dvorkovich, the federation’s president, said in a statement. “When this happens, discussions can turn into harassment, bullying, and personal attacks — a grave concern in today’s environment.”

Dvorkovich stated that he is referring to “all relevant public statements” made by Kramnik before and after Naroditsky’s death, and that he is referring them to the federation’s Ethics and Disciplinary Commission for investigation.

The Charlotte Chess Center announced on Oct. 20 that Naroditsky died at 29 and called the former World Junior Champion’s death “unexpected.”

Naroditsky accused Kramnik of cheating online last year. Naroditsky denied any wrongdoing and appeared visibly distressed in his final Twitch broadcast on Oct. 18. He discussed the controversy and its toll on him, citing comments in the chat. The video was deleted from his official Twitch account, but a copy uploaded to YouTube was reviewed by USA TODAY.

Kramnik, the world champion from 2000 to 2007, defended his comments in a statement to Reuters, claiming that he had suffered bullying and damaging statements towards him, including murder threats.

“What public statement after the death of Daniel was incorrect? ... I demand clarification from Mr. President. I have not bullied Daniel Naroditsky, nor ever made personal insults towards him,” the 50-year-old, who retired from competitive chess in 2019, told the wire service.

USA TODAY has reached out to Kramnik for further comment.

Chess world reaction

The Russian grandmaster has a history of levying cheating allegations, according to a 2023 New York Times report. Chess.com closed Kramnik’s blog and muted his account before the report’s publication, telling the Times: “In the vast majority of cases, we found his accusations baseless.”

Multiple prominent chess figures have condemned Kramnik.

The second-ranked player in the world, Hikaru Nakamura, denounced the Russian’s behavior in a YouTube stream. Nakamura referred to Oct. 18 X posts from Kramnik reading “don’t do drugs” and later referencing a “strange recent stream of Naroditsky” as “(expletive) rich.”

Former world champion Magnus Carlsen told viewers in a separate stream that Kramnik’s treatment of Naroditsky was “horrible.”

Indian grandmaster Nihal Sarin said on X that “the relentless, baseless accusations and public interrogations he faced in recent months caused (Naroditsky) immense pressure and pain.”

Sarin told The Indian Express in an interview following Naroditsky’s death that he was the final person to play the American on Chess.com and blamed Kramnik for the death. “He (Kramnik) has kind of literally taken a life,” Sarin said.

Who was Daniel Naroditsky?

Naroditsky was a California native who played in five U.S. Championships, according to the U.S. Chess Federation, and secured titles in junior and youth competitions. He won the gold medal in the Under-12 Open section of the 2007 FIDE World Youth Championships and, at age 17, the 2013 U.S. Junior Championship.

Naroditsky was among the top-ranked in the world in blitz chess, a type of speed chess with specific time rules, as per the International Chess Federation (FIDE).

He also published a book, “Mastering Positional Chess,” at just 14 years old in 2010 and another, “Mastering Complex Endgames,” in 2012.

He served as a “Chess Life” columnist from 2014 to 2020 and wrote columns for the New York Times. Naroditsky was known for a large online following, thanks to his love for teaching and streaming chess on platforms like Twitch and YouTube. From 2020 to 2025, he was the Grandmaster-in-Residence of the Charlotte Chess Center.

“Daniel was a talented chess player, commentator, and educator, and a cherished member of the chess community, admired and respected by fans and players around the world,” the Charlotte Chess Center said in its announcement of Naroditsky’s death. “He was also a loving son and brother, and a loyal friend to many.”

FIDE expressed condolences to Naroditsky’s family and said it would honor him with a special award recognizing his contributions as a player, teacher, and commentator.

Contributing: Reuters

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Russian chess grandmaster investigated for conduct surrounding Daniel Naroditsky death

Reporting by James Powel and Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect