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 chess world rankings, 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 statement, 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 statement posted on Facebook, 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 Chess.com, 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 statement 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.
The International Chess Federation (FIDE) told CNN that it is aware of the cheating allegations from the press and expects to receive a report from the Spanish federation soon.
“If the FPL finds evidence of cheating, it addresses the FIDE Ethics and Disciplinary Commission (EDC) for imposing sanctions on the player,” it said.
“In particularly severe cases, FPL has a right to ask EDC for an immediate preliminary ban of the player before the investigation is finished. If found guilty, the player can face a ban and stripping of the title. The final decision will depend on several factors including player’s co-operation with the Commission, remorse displayed, as well as personal circumstances.”