🔗 Share this article

Vladimir Kramnik has broken his silence after the tragic passing of US chess star Daniel Naroditsky, describing the 29-year-old's loss as a heartbreaking event while condemning critics for mounting what he termed an "deeply cynical and illegal campaign of harassment" against him and his family.

Kramnik's Statement

The fifty-year-old ex-champion, who has faced widespread condemnation for accusing Naroditsky of digital foul play lacking proof, expressed condolences but denied any individual targeting.

"Despite the tensions, I was the only person in the chess community who, noticing on video Daniel's obvious health issues a day before his death, publicly called for him to get assistance," Kramnik declared. "The subsequent attempts, immediately following his passing, to directly link this tragic event to my name … cross all boundaries of fundamental human decency."

Kramnik asserted his earlier calls for a review of Naroditsky's online play had been overlooked "even with substantial proof", and claimed he would submit documentation to "any relevant authority". He noted his lawyers were drafting civil and criminal suits over "unfounded claims" that have resulted in dangers against him and his family.

Police Findings

The death of Naroditsky may have been the consequence of substance overuse and is being examined as a potential self-harm case, based on a law enforcement document issued last Thursday. A report from the Charlotte-Mecklenburg police department says Naroditsky was discovered deceased Sunday evening and describes the case as a "Death/suicide/overdose/Sudden/Natural Death Investigation."

"On Sunday October 19th at around 7:11 PM, officers answered an assist medic call in the area of 9000 Colin Crossing," the document states. "Upon arrival, an unresponsive subject was located and later pronounced deceased by a medical professional."

Chess World Response

Outrage regarding Kramnik's conduct has shaken the chess world. Hikaru Nakamura described his actions "appalling", while five-time world champion Carlsen described it as "terrible". GM from India Nihal Sarin, who played Naroditsky in his last digital game, blamed Kramnik for "taking a life", saying his self-appointed pursuit against alleged rule-breakers was fruitless and "completely unacceptable".

Naroditsky's Legacy

A Stanford-educated prodigy and ex-youth titleholder, Naroditsky amassed over 800,000 followers on streaming platforms. Referred to as Danya, he was celebrated for his humor, clarity and humility, becoming a leading voice in chess's COVID-period surge. He was also one of the world's finest players under rapid formats, placing ninth at last year's blitz world championship in New York.

Naroditsky consistently denied the allegations but admitted the impact they had taken on his psychological well-being. "Ever since the Kramnik stuff, I feel like if I begin performing strongly, people assume the worst," Naroditsky said in his final livestream.

Official Responses

The World Chess Federation announced recently it was "looking into" Kramnik's behavior. "The way Kramnik approaches it simply can't be accepted," Fide CEO Sutovsky stated. The organization plans to honor Naroditsky with a memorial award.

Federation president Dvorkovich later verified that all of Kramnik's official remarks about Naroditsky, prior to and following his passing, would be submitted to the federation's disciplinary body "for independent consideration".

"Life and human worth are core principles shared by all of us," Dvorkovich emphasized. "Our global chess family has long respected the achievements of GM Vladimir Kramnik, but such status brings a duty to uphold the principles of fairness and respect."

Family's Hope

Naroditsky's family have said they hope he is remembered not for the confrontation he faced but for "the joy and inspiration he provided others every day". Magnus Carlsen called him "a resource to the chess community", while Hikaru Nakamura described him as "among the finest".

• Within the United States, you can call or text the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline on 988, communicate via 988lifeline.org, or message HOME to 741741 to reach a crisis counselor.
• In the UK and Ireland, The Samaritans can be contacted on freephone 116 123, or message [email protected] or [email protected].
• Across Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14.
• Global support contacts can be found at befrienders.org.