SCF Statement 1 Oct 2022

The chess world has been rocked by two scandals in the past month. World Champion GM Magnus Carlsen's actions and allegation that GM Hans Niemann had cheated in their game at the Sinquefield Cup (7 September 2022) put chess in the spotlight and on prime time news. GM Ilya Smirin's offensive comments about women and chess to fellow FIDE commentator WIM Fiona Steil-Antoni (27 September 2022) during the Women's Grand Prix in Astana, Kazakhstan resulted in considerable outrage online.

In both cases, FIDE has stepped in. The Fair Play Commission has launched an investigation into Carlsen's allegations. It also terminated Smirin as an official commentator for the tournament.

While it is important to wait for the Fair Play Commission's investigation to be completed and made public before passing judgement on either Niemann or Carlsen, this incident does highlight the significant problem of cheating in chess. The SCF's position remains unchanged: we expect our players to adhere to the highest standards of sportsmanship and to follow the rules of any event in which they are participants. We also continue to put in place measures to to deter cheating in the events that we organize, as this will create a better playing environment for everyone.

The SCF also believes in creating a safe environment for women and girls to enjoy chess in Singapore. We are committed to providing equal opportunities for women and girls to excel at the game and to maximize everyone's potentia.l