Archive · 1 Jan 2026
Kramnik Sues FIDE for Defamation
Vladimir Kramnik, a famous chess player, is suing FIDE, the world chess organization, for saying bad things about him.
This started after Kramnik accused other players of cheating, which made some players very upset.
FIDE started an investigation against Kramnik, and now he is taking them to court in Switzerland.
Kramnik says he has proof that he was not wrong, and he wants FIDE to stop saying bad things about him.
The court process will take a few months to start.
Kramnik is also suing other people and organizations involved in the controversy.
Many top chess players have criticized Kramnik, but he believes his actions were justified.
Vladimir Kramnik has sued FIDE for defamation in a Swiss civil court.
The lawsuit follows an inquiry into Kramnik's alleged harassment of players with unsubstantiated cheating claims.
Kramnik's allegations were sparked by the death of American Grandmaster Daniel Naroditsky, who died by suicide under unknown circumstances.
FIDE's CEO Emil Sutovsky described Kramnik's allegations as 'appalling and outright shameful'.
Kramnik maintains he has evidence to support his claims and is seeking legal recourse, including suing Chess.com and David Navara.
- Who
- Vladimir Kramnik (Plaintiff) and FIDE (Defendant)
- What
- Kramnik suing FIDE for defamation
- When
- After the death of American Grandmaster Daniel Naroditsky and subsequent allegations
- Where
- Swiss Civil Court (Court of Lausanne)
- Why
- Kramnik claims FIDE and fellow players defamed him by attacking his character and allegations
Kramnik's Supporters
FIDE and Critics
Cheating Allegations
Kramnik's Supporters
Kramnik claims his allegations were based on data and analysis, and he has evidence to support his position.
FIDE and Critics
FIDE and other players argue that Kramnik's allegations were unsubstantiated and caused significant distress to the accused players.
Public Attacks
Kramnik's Supporters
Kramnik believes he has been subjected to relentless public attacks from players and officials, which prompted him to take legal action.
FIDE and Critics
Critics, including FIDE CEO Emil Sutovsky, describe Kramnik's allegations as 'appalling and outright shameful,' defending their public criticism.
Legal Action
Kramnik's Supporters
Kramnik is seeking legal recourse to clear his name and stop the defamation, filing lawsuits against FIDE, Chess.com, and David Navara.
FIDE and Critics
FIDE has opened an ethics inquiry against Kramnik, and other entities may defend themselves legally against his claims.
- Plaintiff
- Vladimir Kramnik
- Defendant
- FIDE (World Chess Federation)
- Court
- Swiss Civil Court (Court of Lausanne)
- Legal Basis
- Swiss Code
- Allegations Against Kramnik
- Harassing players with unsubstantiated cheating claims
- FIDE's Response
- Opened ethics inquiry against Kramnik
- Kramnik's Claim
- Defamation
- Preliminary Procedure Duration
- 2-3 months
- Additional Legal Actions
- Kramnik is also suing Chess.com and David Navara
- Notable Critics
- Magnus Carlsen, Nihal Sarin, Hikaru Nakamura, David Navara
