The former world champion has broken his silence after the tragic passing of US chess star Daniel Naroditsky, calling the 29-year-old's demise as a tragedy while accusing critics for mounting what he termed an "deeply cynical and illegal campaign of harassment" against him and his family.
Former Champion's Response
The 50-year-old ex-champion, who has faced broad criticism for accusing Naroditsky of digital foul play lacking proof, offered sympathies but denied any individual targeting.
"Regardless of our differences, I was the only person in the chess community who, observing through footage Daniel's obvious health issues a day before his death, publicly called for him to get assistance," Kramnik declared. "The subsequent attempts, right after his passing, to explicitly connect this tragic event to my name … cross all boundaries of fundamental human decency."
Kramnik said his earlier calls for a review of Naroditsky's digital games had been ignored "even with substantial proof", and claimed he would provide material to "any relevant authority". He mentioned his lawyers were drafting civil and criminal suits over "unfounded claims" that have led to threats against him and his family.
Investigation Details
The death of Naroditsky may have been the result of a drug overdose and is being investigated as a possible suicide, according to a police report issued last Thursday. A report from the Charlotte-Mecklenburg police department indicates Naroditsky was found dead Sunday evening and describes the case as a "Death/suicide/overdose/Sudden/Natural Death Investigation."
"On Sunday October 19th at approximately 07:11pm, officers answered an assist medic call in the vicinity of Colin Crossing," the report says. "When they reached the scene, an unresponsive subject was located and later declared dead by a medical professional."
Chess World Response
Anger over Kramnik's behavior has shaken the chess world. Grandmaster Nakamura called his behavior "disgusting", while five-time world champion Carlsen described it as "horrible". Indian grandmaster Nihal Sarin, who faced Naroditsky in his last digital game, blamed Kramnik for "causing a death", saying his vigilante campaign against suspected cheaters was ineffective and "totally inappropriate".
Naroditsky's Legacy
A graduate of Stanford and former world youth champion, Naroditsky amassed over 800,000 followers on Twitch and YouTube. Referred to as Danya, he was celebrated for his wit, insight and modesty, becoming a prominent figure in chess's COVID-period surge. He was also one of the world's finest players under shorter time controls, placing ninth at last year's blitz world championship in New York.
Naroditsky consistently denied the allegations but acknowledged the toll they had taken on his mental health. "Since the Kramnik controversy, I feel like if I begin performing strongly, people assume the worst," Naroditsky said in his last online broadcast.
Official Responses
The International Chess Federation (Fide) announced recently it was "looking into" Kramnik's actions. "The way Kramnik approaches it simply is unacceptable," Fide CEO Emil Sutovsky stated. The federation plans to honor Naroditsky with a memorial award.
Fide president Dvorkovich later confirmed that all of Kramnik's public statements about Naroditsky, before and after his death, would be referred to the organisation's Ethics and Disciplinary Commission "for independent consideration".
"Life and human worth are fundamental values shared by all of us," Dvorkovich stressed. "Our global chess family has long respected the accomplishments of GM Vladimir Kramnik, but such status brings a duty to maintain the standards of equity and consideration."
Family's Hope
Naroditsky's family have said they hope he is recalled not because of the confrontation he faced but for "the happiness and motivation he brought people every day". Magnus Carlsen described him "a resource to the chess community", while Hikaru Nakamura described him as "the best of us".
- In the US, individuals may contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline on 988, communicate via 988lifeline.org, or message HOME to 741741 to reach a support specialist.
- In the UK and Ireland, Samaritans can be reached at 116 123, or email [email protected] or [email protected].
- In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14.
- Global support contacts can be found at befrienders.org.
