Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi
New Delhi, Jan 1: Former World Chess Champion Vladimir Kramnik has filed a defamation lawsuit against the World Chess Federation (FIDE) in a Swiss civil court following an ethics inquiry into his alleged harassment of players with cheating claims.
The legal action comes in the wake of the tragic death of American Grandmaster Daniel Naroditsky, who had recently spoken about extreme mental stress caused by allegations levelled against him by Kramnik. Czech Grandmaster David Navara has also claimed to experience distress and suicidal thoughts following similar accusations.
Taking to social media platform X, Kramnik stated that relentless criticism from fellow players and FIDE left him no choice but to pursue legal recourse. FIDE CEO Emil Sutovsky had earlier described Kramnik’s allegations as “appalling and outright shameful.”
Kramnik clarified that he has not made baseless claims and has initiated formal proceedings under Swiss law at the Court of Lausanne, which involves a preliminary phase lasting 2–3 months. He added that his legal team will soon finalise the specific legal provisions and financial compensation sought.
To strengthen his case, Kramnik has submitted a request to preserve all FIDE documents, correspondence, and electronic records relevant to the proceedings. He emphasised that the lawsuit is separate from FIDE’s ongoing ethics inquiry, noting that the legal claim “goes far beyond the scope of this FIDE action.”
Kramnik also criticised fellow players—including world number one Magnus Carlsen and Indian Grandmaster Nihal Sarin—for publicly naming him without retracting their statements, asserting that none acknowledged the evidence he provided in his defense.
FIDE’s ethics inquiry cites a two-year pattern of conduct by Kramnik that allegedly undermined the dignity of players and harmed the integrity of the sport.
Kramnik has pledged to provide further updates as the court proceedings advance, signalling a high-stakes legal battle between the chess legend and the world governing body.