Romanian chess grandmaster Kirill Shevchenko was expelled from a national-level competition after being accused of using a mobile device during play, event organizers announced on Monday.
Shevchenko, ranked 69th globally, was competing in the Spanish Team Championship in Melilla when the alleged cheating took place.
His draws in the first two rounds, representing the Silla – Integrant Col·lectius team, were subsequently overturned into defeats.
The Spanish Chess Federation (FEDA) confirmed Shevchenko’s expulsion, citing “the usage of mobile devices during the playing of his matches” as the reason.
In a statement, FEDA emphasized its strong stance against cheating, saying it acts “in the strongest possible way” whenever such incidents occur.
The federation expressed regret over the situation but clarified that it did not reflect on the conduct of Shevchenko’s team, which performed “impeccably.”
Silla – Integrant Col·lectius responded to the allegations on Facebook, strongly condemning any unsportsmanlike strategies, stating it had severed ties with Shevchenko following the incident.
According to Chess.com, suspicions arose when Shevchenko spent extended periods away from the board during the early rounds.
Chief Arbiter Óscar Bruno de Prado Rodríguez reported that a mobile device, along with a note resembling Shevchenko’s handwriting, was found in a toilet cubicle.
Despite these claims, the Romanian Chess Federation issued a statement on Tuesday, calling for “solid evidence” before drawing conclusions.
The federation reiterated its “zero tolerance for violations of fair-play rules” but affirmed its support for Shevchenko, who has denied any wrongdoing.
“We await the details of the case and will carefully study the accompanying evidence. Until then, we stand by our chess player,” the statement read.
The Romanian federation added that no official communication had been received, only media reports and alleged witness accounts.
FEDA thanked Silla – Integrant Col·lectius for their cooperation in the investigation and acknowledged the efforts of the referees and the championship’s Appeals Committee.
Shevchenko, who previously played for Ukraine before switching to Romania, earned his grandmaster title in 2017 and reached a career-high world ranking of No. 39 last year.
Source-CNN
