Daniel Naroditsky's death: FIDE CEO bashes hypocrisy - 'Where were all of you... '

The International Federation (FIDE) CEO Emil Sutovsky on Wednesday described former world champion Vladimir Kramnik’s comments on American Grandmaster as “appalling and outright shameful,” while also raising concerns about the support the young player received during his life.


Naroditsky, 29, passed away in North Carolina after reportedly battling psychological issues. He had stepped back from online chess commentary following unsubstantiated allegations of cheating made by Kramnik months earlier. The family has not disclosed the exact cause of death.


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Sutovsky expressed concern over the posthumous outpouring of praise for Naroditsky, writing on X, “Amount of love given to Danya post-mortem is unprecedented… But here is the problem – where all of you were when Danya was alive and unwell?”


While condemning Kramnik’s accusations, Sutovsky acknowledged the challenges Naroditsky faced in the wake of the allegations. “One thing is clear: the way Kramnik approaches it, simply can't be accepted. And his reaction on Danya’s passing is appalling and outright shameful. FIDE is not a court of justice, but we will act within our jurisdiction,” he said.

The FIDE chief also reflected on the grandmaster’s struggles in recent months. “Danya was clearly not at his best… He stopped appearing as a commentator for one reason or another, he was not his usual self,” Sutovsky added.


He further questioned those who claimed to be close to Naroditsky, asking, “Now, all those who claim how dear Danya was to their heart… where have you been? What did you do? All these Kramnik attacks on Danya happened not this week or month… So, I ask you, alleged Danya’s friends, what did you do to help him for half a year or so?”


Top players, including world number one Magnus Carlsen, Hikaru Nakamura, and Indian GM Nihal Sarin, have expressed concern over the pressure Naroditsky faced. Sarin noted the “baseless accusations and public interrogations… caused him immense pressure and pain,” while Carlsen acknowledged Naroditsky was not in a “great space” following the verbal attacks.


Sutovsky concluded by noting the young player’s isolation, saying, “The boy with shining eyes had less and less shining left. And now, he is gone. Way too early… Virtue signalling and like-grabbing is the worst way to pay respect to Danya.”

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