Particle.news
Download on the App Store
9 ARTICLES
·
3w ago

Kramnik Denies Guilt in Naroditsky’s Death as 911 Call Details Wellness Check and FIDE Review Advances

Fresh interviews alongside a released 911 call sharpen scrutiny of Kramnik’s yearlong campaign.

Daniel Naroditsky died on 19 October.
A chess puzzle is seen hanging in the Mechanics’ Institute library in San Francisco. Naroditsky, who got his start at the San Francisco center, was eager to spread the gospel of the game, playing and teaching professionally.
An interior view of the Chess Room at the Mechanics’ Institute. Naroditsky honed his game at the center, where his father was a trustee.
A chair plaque in honor of Daniel Naroditsky is seen in the Chess Room at the Mechanics’ Institutee.

Overview

  • Newly released 911 audio shows a friend performing a wellness check found Daniel Naroditsky unresponsive at his Charlotte home before medics pronounced him dead on Oct. 19.
  • Police records describe the death as sudden or natural and note an investigation into the possibility of suicide or drug overdose.
  • In fresh interviews, Vladimir Kramnik says he never accused Naroditsky of cheating, describing his claims as a “very argumentized suspicion” supported by material he intends to present.
  • Kramnik rejects responsibility for Naroditsky’s death, calls the backlash an orchestrated PR campaign, and says his team is preparing criminal and civil cases.
  • FIDE has confirmed a review of Kramnik’s public comments, as top players criticize his conduct and a Change.org petition gathers thousands of signatures seeking action.