The International Chess Federation (FIDE) CEO Emil Sutovsky issued a clarification after facing widespread backlash for comments he made following the death of American Grandmaster Daniel Naroditsky. Sutovsky’s initial statement, in which he condemned former world champion Vladimir Kramnik’s “appalling and outright shameful” remarks about Naroditsky, also appeared to fault the late player’s friends and wider chess community for failing to support him during his struggles — drawing sharp criticism online.
Naroditsky, 29, was found dead in North Carolina earlier this month. Once a beloved commentator and streamer, he had withdrawn from public chess life amid unsubstantiated cheating allegations repeatedly made by Kramnik. Though Naroditsky’s family has not disclosed the cause of death, reports suggest he had been dealing with psychological distress in the months leading up to his passing.
In a lengthy post on X (formerly Twitter), Sutovsky acknowledged Kramnik’s repeated, baseless accusations had caused immense harm but also questioned the outpouring of affection shown after Naroditsky’s death. “Where were all of you when Danya was alive and unwell?” Sutovsky wrote, adding that many who now called themselves his friends did little to reach out or help him.
“Danya was clearly not at his best in recent months. He stopped appearing as a commentator for one reason or another, he was not his usual self. Now, all those who claim how dear Danya was to their heart, how good a friend they were, where have you been? What did you do? All these Kramnik attacks on Danya happened not this week or month. It was not like a shocking accusation, that killed Danya overnight. It kept haunting him for more than a year, even if there was not much of polemics of recent.
“So, I ask you, alleged Danya’s friends, what did you do to help him for half a year or so? Did many of you write him to ask, whether he is OK? Why he, arguably the best online commentator disappeared from the screens? Did you text him to ask why did he stop streaming?” he wrote.
The comments sparked outrage across the chess community. Grandmaster Anna Cramling publicly called on FIDE to take stronger action against Kramnik, writing, “Two sentences about Kramnik and long paragraphs about ‘friends that didn’t help.’ I am in disbelief… Do everything in your power to make sure justice is served.”
Others accused Sutovsky of deflecting responsibility and showing insensitivity toward Naroditsky’s loved ones.
Facing the backlash, Sutovsky issued a follow-up statement clarifying his intent. “It should have been clearer and more responsible,” he wrote. “It was obviously not aimed at Danya’s close friends or, God forbid, family. I was referring to people who now refer to themselves as friends but did very little to help.”
Sutovsky added that FIDE, too, must reflect on its role.
“It did annoy me, and does annoy now. I never had a privilege to call Danya a friend, but I acknowledge that FIDE also could and should have done better.
“We need to look into our policies, and probably not to wait for a formal complaint, but to step in and protect the people in such a situations. Very difficult to balance it all, but we will do our utmost.
“On a personal level: the news of Danya’s passing shocked me. It triggered a lot of feelings, and maybe I was too emotional writing about it. And emotions are rarely a good companion of wisdom.”
