A Romanian chess grandmaster, Kirill Shevchenko, was expelled from a national-level competition, the Spanish Team Championship, for allegedly using a mobile device during play. The Spanish Chess Federation (FEDA) identified the reason for his expulsion as the unauthorized usage of mobile devices during the matches. Shevchenko, currently ranked 69th in the chess world rankings, was playing for the Silla – Integrant Col·lectius team when the alleged cheating occurred. His draws in the first two rounds of the competition were converted into defeats as a result of the expulsion.
Silla – Integrant Col·lectius released a statement on Facebook condemning any illegal or illicit strategies used in a sportsmanlike way to gain an advantage. They terminated their relationship with Shevchenko in response to the allegations of cheating. According to Chess.com, suspicions were raised when Shevchenko was observed spending extended periods away from the board during the tournament’s early rounds. The Chief Arbiter reported finding a mobile device in a toilet cubicle along with a note that resembled Shevchenko’s handwriting. However, the Romanian Chess Federation stated that they were waiting for solid evidence before making a final determination on the accusations.
The Romanian Chess Federation expressed a commitment to fair-play rules while awaiting further details and evidence in the case. They stated that they would carefully study any accompanying evidence and decide on the next steps within the limits of the regulations. Shevchenko denied the allegations of cheating when questioned during the competition, and the Federation indicated their support for him as they do for all their chess players. The Federation directed inquiries to their official statement and emphasized the importance of following the established regulations in making any decisions.
FEDA commended Silla – Integrant Col·lectius for their cooperation in the investigation and acknowledged the hard work of the refereeing team and the Appeals Committee of the Championship in handling the incident. Shevchenko, who previously represented Ukraine before switching to Romania, achieved grandmaster status in 2017 and reached a career-best ranking of No. 39 in the world last year. The International Chess Federation (FIDE) was contacted by CNN for comment on the situation, but there has been no response yet. The incident serves as a reminder of the strong stance against cheating in the world of chess and the importance of upholding fair-play principles in competitive games.
