Russian chess legend Vladimir Kramnik filed a defamation lawsuit against FIDE in a Swiss civil court. He announced the move on X, explaining that relentless attacks from fellow players and FIDE forced him to take legal action.
The case follows an inquiry into Kramnik’s alleged harassment of players with “unsubstantiated” cheating claims. The controversy grew after American Grandmaster Daniel Naroditsky died, having spoken in his final livestream about immense mental stress caused by the accusations.
Furthermore, Czech Grandmaster David Navara revealed that Kramnik’s online cheating allegations left him distressed and suicidal. Despite mounting criticism, Kramnik insisted that his statements were not baseless. “I have initiated formal legal proceedings against FIDE in accordance with Swiss law in the Court of Lausanne,” he declared. He explained that Swiss procedural rules require a preliminary phase lasting two to three months before the main claim moves forward.
Moreover, Kramnik confirmed that his legal team will finalise the specific provisions of the Swiss Code and the financial compensation sought before submitting the main claim. He added that he personally delivered a request to FIDE headquarters to preserve all documents, correspondence, and electronic records relevant to the case.
In addition, the former world champion criticised players who blamed him for Naroditsky’s death, including Magnus Carlsen and Indian prodigy Nihal Sarin. “Several players have publicly named and shamed me. None have shown the integrity to apologise or retract their statements,” Kramnik said.
He emphasised that his lawsuit remains independent of FIDE’s ethics inquiry, which accused him of a two-year “pattern of conduct” that harmed players’ dignity. “My legal claims go far beyond the scope of this FIDE action,” he asserted.
ALSO READ: Australia Names Provisional Squad for T20 World Cup 2026
