Former world chess champion Vladimir Kramnik has refuted any involvement in the death of Daniel Naroditsky and is determined to vindicate himself in a legal setting. Naroditsky was discovered deceased on Sunday, October 20, at his residence in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Naroditsky regularly live-streamed his chess matches on Twitch, boasting a substantial following of over half a million subscribers. Videos of the American playing on the morning before his demise were available on YouTube until recently.
Speaking to Al Arabiya presenter Michael Prendergast, Kramnik rejected any responsibility for the American Grandmaster’s passing amid a wave of accusations. The Russian has been embroiled in controversy due to his public stance against cheating in online chess.
“I bear no guilt in this tragic and heartbreaking incident. I never accused Daniel of cheating; I merely sought to have the facts examined,” Kramnik stated.
Expressing his dismay, Kramnik highlighted the distressing state of Naroditsky during their interactions before the unfortunate event. He promptly reached out for help on Instagram upon noticing Naroditsky’s alarming condition.
Kramnik intends to clear his name with supporting evidence and has accused both FIDE, the governing body of the sport, and Chess.com of unfairly targeting him.
Amid receiving death threats, Kramnik emphasized the need for fairness, transparency, and a less toxic environment in the chess community.
In the final moments of Naroditsky’s live stream, his friends Peter Giannatos and Oleksandr Bortnyk engaged in conversations with him. Giannatos, the head of Charlotte Chess Centre, and Bortnyk, a Ukrainian grandmaster, were present during Naroditsky’s last broadcast.
During the stream, Naroditsky’s friends urged him to rest, highlighting his fatigue and the need for sleep. Naroditsky expressed his desire to continue playing before retiring for the night.
References to cheating accusations made by Vladimir Kramnik were made by Naroditsky during the stream, prompting further investigation by FIDE’s ethics and disciplinary committee.
Naroditsky’s concerns about being unfairly judged due to Kramnik’s comments were addressed by his friends, who reassured him that he did not need to prove anything to skeptics.