Chess ‘cheating’ row as grandmaster is thrown out of tournament after being caught ‘using mobile during match’
A CHESS grandmaster was chucked out of a tournament for allegedly using a mobile phone during a match.
The current world no.69 Kirill Shevchenko was competing in the Spanish Team Championship when the incident occurred.
As a result of the alleged ‘cheating’, his two draws in the first two rounds have been changed to defeats.
The Romanian was competing for the Silla – Integrant Col·lectius team.
The Spanish Chess Federation has explained his expulsion from the tournament.
A statement revealed the reason was “the usage of mobile devices during the playing of his matches.”
It continued: “FEDA maintains its firm commitment against cheating in chess, acting in the strongest possible way in any case which is detected.
“We profoundly regret that these events have occurred.
“We also wish to state that, in any case, this individual behaviour has nothing to do with the impeccable performance of his Club and the rest of his team members.”
Shevchenko has been removed from the Silla – Integrant Col·lectius team as a result.
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The team posted a statement it said it “rejects in the strongest and most blunt way whichever practice of illegal and/or illicit strategy used in an unsportsmanlike way to gain an advantage.”
Chess.com has reported that suspicion arose around Shevchenko when he spent long periods away from the table.
Chief Arbiter Óscar Bruno de Prado Rodríguez has claimed that a phone was found in a toilet cubicle.
It was apparently accompanied by a note that had handwriting similar to that of the 22-year-old.
On Tuesday, the Romanian Chess Federation insisted that it was still waiting for “solid evidence” to support the allegations.
It insisted that it has “zero tolerance for violations of fair-play rules”.
A statement read: “We await for the details of the case and we will carefully study the accompanying evidence.
“So far, we only have press reports and alleged witnesses, but no official communication.
“Until then, we are on the side of our chess player, who denies the accusations against him.
“We will support him as we support all our chess players, within the limits of the regulations in place.
“If further information comes to light, we will decide within the Federation our next steps.”