World chess champion Gukesh strongly opposes cheating accusations circulating in the chess community, especially those by former world champion Vladimir Kramnik. Ahead of the Prague Chess Festival, the 19-year-old made it clear that while he was completely opposed to cheating, he did not agree with accusations being made publicly without evidence.
“Obviously, I’m against any kind of unfair play or unethical play. I’ve never done that and I really hope no one does that and that’s an issue we’ve seen recently. Exactly, with regard to Kramnik, I think what he’s been doing is obviously, I don’t support that,” the 19-year-old added at his pre-match press conference. Gukesh said players and fans have become too suspicious in recent years, making cheating a bigger problem than it really is.“A lot of people have been paranoid over the last few years. I think people are creating a bigger problem than it actually is,” he added.He added that Kramnik’s repeated accusations were harmful to the sport and called for a calmer atmosphere.“Yes, especially regarding Kramnik’s accusations, I don’t support most of them. And I think there should be more harmony and peace in chess.”The controversy comes amid growing criticism for Kramnik, who has accused several players of cheating online without providing solid evidence.Many of the top figures in chess, including Viswanathan Anand and FIDE officials have spoken out against the trend, echoing Gukesh’s calls for unity and fairness in the game.Gukesh will soon take part in the Prague International Chess Festival, hoping to bounce back from good results at the World Cup and Tata Steel Masters. As the second seed, he will face stiff competition from the likes of Vincent Kaymer and Nodelbek Abdusatolov. Even though Gukesh hasn’t been in top form of late, he is currently India’s highest-ranked player.
