Once ranked 75th in the world, chess player Kirill Shevchenko has been stripped of his Grandmaster title by FIDE and barred from competing in official events for three years. Part of that suspension — one year — is conditional, meaning it will only remain lifted if no additional violations occur. The active ban runs from October 19, 2024, through October 18, 2026, while the conditional portion stretches until October 18, 2027.
The case began when FIDE’s Ethics and Disciplinary Commission (EDC) imposed a three-year suspension on March 15, 2025. Shevchenko challenged the decision, while the Fair Play Commission lodged its own cross-appeal. Following the review, the disciplinary body went further than its initial ruling by not only upholding the ban but also removing his GM title.
Dana Reizniece, Deputy Chair of the FIDE Management Board, emphasized that the organization treats cheating among elite players with the highest level of seriousness. She explained that FIDE is committed to prevention as well as delivering prompt and suitable punishments, adding that fair play is fundamental to the integrity and future of chess.
The controversy began last year at the Spanish Team Championship, where a mobile phone was discovered inside a private restroom located near public facilities. A handwritten note attached to the device read, “Do not touch, the phone is left for a guest to answer at night.”
A separate phone had been located in the same area just a day earlier. Suspicion quickly turned toward Shevchenko, who was removed from the competition after being linked to the devices.
Concerns had also been raised by one of his opponents, who reported to the arbiter that Shevchenko was leaving the board unusually often. He later admitted to hiding a phone in the bathroom but maintained that he never used it for cheating purposes.
