Fide, The international chess federation has rebuked Magnus Carlsen, the world champion, for his resignation from the online chess game against Hans Niemann.
On Friday, Fide released a statement in which they told Carlsen there were better ways to handle the situation. They added that it shared the Norwegian’s concerns surrounding cheating in the sport, and on this matter, he reiterated its zero-tolerance policy.
Earlier this month, Carlsen left the Sinquefield Cup after losing to Nieman in an over-the-board tournament. This week at the Julius Baer Generation Cup, Carlsen left the game after just one move against Niemann.
The surprise defeat of Carlsen and his withdrawal from the Sinquefield Cup sparked controversy and speculation, on which Carlsen did not comment. The American grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura commented that the withdrawal was because Carlsen suspected his opponent had probably cheated.
Fide said in their statement that it was its duty to protect the integrity of chess, and we strongly believe that the world champion has a moral responsibility attached to his status since he is viewed as a global ambassador of the game, Fide said.
Carlsen has not made any direct allegations against any player, and Nieman has also denied any wrongdoing in his match against Carlsen.
Arkady Dvorkovich, the Fide president, said, We share Carlsen’s deep concerns about the damage that cheating brings to chess. Fide has led the fight against cheating for many years, and we reiterate our zero-tolerance policy toward cheating in any form, he added.
Fide said that he is prepared to investigate the incident through his fair play commission when all parties involved disclose the information at their disposal and provide adequate initial proof.