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lite.cnn.com - on gopher - inofficial
ARTICLE VIEW:
Chess grandmaster Kirill Shevchenko expelled from competition for
allegedly using a mobile phone during matches
By George Ramsay, CNN
Updated:
9:09 AM EDT, Wed October 16, 2024
Source: CNN
A Romanian chess grandmaster was expelled from a national-level
competition after being accused of using a mobile device during play,
organizers announced on Monday.
Kirill Shevchenko, currently 69th in the , was competing at the Spanish
Team Championship in the Spanish enclave of Melilla when the alleged
instance of cheating occurred.
Subsequently, his draws in the opening two rounds of the competition
for the Silla – Integrant Col·lectius team were turned into defeats.
In a , the Spanish Chess Federation (FEDA) identified the reason for
Shevchenko’s expulsion as “the usage of mobile devices during the
playing of his matches.”
The federation added: “FEDA maintains its firm commitment against
cheating in chess, acting in the strongest possible way in any case
which is detected. We profoundly regret that these events have occurred
… We also wish to state that, in any case, this individual behavior
has nothing to do with the impeccable performance of his Club and the
rest of his team members.”
In a , Silla - Integrant Col·lectius said it “rejects in the
strongest and most blunt way whichever practice of illegal and/or
illicit strategy used in an unsportsmanlike way to gain an
advantage,” adding that it had terminated its relationship with
Shevchenko.
According to , Shevchenko aroused suspicion when he began spending long
periods away from the board during the opening rounds of the
tournament. According to a statement by Chief Arbiter Óscar Bruno de
Prado Rodríguez, a mobile device was later found in a toilet cubicle,
alongside a note in a script similar to the 22-year-old’s
handwriting, Chess.com reported.
But on Tuesday, the Romanian Chess Federation said in a that it was
waiting for “solid evidence” before drawing a conclusion on the
allegations, even while saying that it has “zero tolerance for
violations of fair-play rules.”
The statement added: “We await for the details of the case and we
will carefully study the accompanying evidence. So far, we only have
press reports and alleged witnesses, but no official communication.
“Until then, we are on the side of our chess player, who denies the
accusations against him. We will support him as we support all our
chess players, within the limits of the regulations in place. If
further information comes to light, we will decide within the
Federation our next steps.”
The Romanian Chess Federation directed CNN to its statement when
contacted for comment. Chess.com also reported that Shevchenko denied
allegations of wrongdoing when questioned during the competition.
FEDA thanked Silla - Integrant Col·lectius for “assisting the
investigation at all times,” adding: “We also appreciate the
diligent work of the refereeing team and the Appeals Committee of the
Championship.”
Shevchenko previously competed for Ukraine before switching allegiances
to Romania. He earned his grandmaster title in 2017 and reached a
career-best ranking of No.39 in the world last year.
CNN has contacted the International Chess Federation (FIDE) for comment
on the incident.
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