Naroditsky, an online chess grandmaster, passed away at the age of 29.
The World Chess Federation has announced that it is investigating former world champion Vladimir Kramnik’s public attacks against Daniel Naroditsky before his death.
The organization is reviewing Kramnik’s previous statements accusing the 29-year-old American grandmaster Naroditsky of online cheating.
Before his death, Naroditsky had denied any cheating and mentioned in his last live broadcast on Twitch that the controversy had put a lot of psychological pressure on him. Naroditsky’s family announced his unexpected death on Monday in a statement from his club, the Charlotte Chess Center. The cause of death has not yet been determined.
Naroditsky, who died at the age of 29, was one of the most popular figures in the world of online chess. He was known by the alias ‘Danya’ on Twitch and YouTube, where he had hundreds of thousands of followers and was recognized as a master commentator and player.
Several prominent figures in the chess world, including Hikaru Nakamura, the world number 2, former world champion Magnus Carlsen, and Indian grandmaster Nihal Sarin, have condemned Kramnik’s behavior.