Controversy once again surrounds Vladimir Kramnik. The former world chess champion has now taken legal action against FIDE, filing a defamation case in a Swiss civil court after being subjected to an inquiry over what were described as unsubstantiated cheating allegations directed at players following the death of American grandmaster Daniel Naroditsky.
Kramnik revealed the development on X, saying the decision came after months of criticism from fans, officials at FIDE, as well as current and former players. He stated that formal legal proceedings have been initiated under Swiss law in the Court of Lausanne. According to him, the process will begin with a mandatory preliminary phase, which is expected to last between two and three months.
He further explained that the precise sections of the Swiss Code being invoked, along with the exact amount of financial compensation being sought from FIDE, will be finalised by his legal team just before the main claim is officially filed. Kramnik also confirmed that a formal request to preserve evidence has already been personally submitted to FIDE’s headquarters.
Kramnik’s allegations and the Naroditsky case
In his final livestream, Daniel Naroditsky spoke openly about the intense mental strain he experienced as a result of Kramnik’s accusations. While the exact cause of Naroditsky’s death has not been made public, his comments highlighted the emotional pressure he had been under in the months leading up to it.
Kramnik’s allegations against Naroditsky date back to October 2024. Over the following year, he repeatedly accused the American grandmaster of cheating in online chess events. Naroditsky later addressed the situation during a podcast appearance with Fabiano Caruana, where he admitted that the accusations had taken a serious toll on his mental health.
After Naroditsky’s death, several leading players spoke out against Kramnik’s conduct. Grandmasters such as Wesley So, Nihal Sarin, and Arjun Erigaisi used X to criticise Kramnik for his behaviour. So also stated publicly that he never believed the cheating accusations in the first place.
