FIDE suspends champion Vladimir Kramnik for one year

The International Chess Federation (FIDE) has suspended former world champion Vladimir Kramnik for at least one year after finding him responsible for publicly leveling unproven cheating allegations against fellow grandmasters, including the late American prodigy Daniel Naroditsky. The ruling, issued on Friday, July 3, 2026, by FIDE's independent Ethics Disciplinary Commission, concluded that Kramnik's conduct violated codes against cyberbullying and psychological abuse.

Kramnik received a two-year worldwide ban from participating in FIDE competitions or holding official chess functions, with the final 12 months suspended for a three-year probationary period. This means his active suspension is one year, provided he commits no further violations during probation. The commission also imposed an additional sanction of 12 months of unpaid service for the benefit of the chess community. Kramnik has 21 days to appeal the decision.

The disciplinary proceedings stemmed from complaints submitted by the FIDE Management Board and the FIDE Fair Play Commission regarding a sustained series of public statements and social media posts by Kramnik. The posts primarily targeted Naroditsky and...