Kirill Shevchenko participated in a tournament held in Warsaw, Poland, earlier this year. Getty Images
In a surprising turn of events, Romanian chess grandmaster Kirill Shevchenko has been expelled from a national competition over allegations of cheating with a mobile phone. The incident took place at the Spanish Team Championship held in the enclave of Melilla, where Shevchenko, currently ranked 69th in the world, was representing his team, Silla – Integrant Col·lectius.
The expulsion was announced by the organizers on Monday, following suspicions raised during the initial rounds of the tournament. Shevchenko had managed to draw in his first two matches, but those results were later changed to losses due to the cheating allegations. This decision sent shockwaves through the chess community, emphasizing the serious stance that chess authorities take against cheating.
The Spanish Chess Federation (FEDA) released a statement outlining the reasons behind Shevchenko's removal, specifically pointing to the alleged use of mobile devices during his games. In their statement, FEDA reaffirmed their strong commitment to maintaining integrity in chess, asserting, "FEDA maintains its firm commitment against cheating in chess, acting in the strongest possible way in any case which is detected." They expressed regret over the situation but noted that Shevchenko's actions did not reflect on his team's overall performance.
In response to the unfolding situation, the team Silla – Integrant Col·lectius made their stance clear. They issued a strong condemnation of any form of cheating, stating they “reject in the strongest and most blunt way whichever practice of illegal and/or illicit strategy used in an unsportsmanlike way to gain an advantage.” Following the allegations, the team announced the termination of its relationship with Shevchenko.
According to reports, suspicion began to arise around Shevchenko when he frequently left the board during his matches for extended periods. The chief arbiter, Óscar Bruno de Prado Rodríguez, later revealed that a mobile device was discovered in a toilet cubicle, along with a note that appeared to be in Shevchenko’s handwriting. This evidence raised further concerns regarding his conduct during the tournament.
However, the Romanian Chess Federation has called for caution, stating that they are awaiting “solid evidence” before jumping to conclusions about the allegations. They emphasized their commitment to fair play, noting, “We await the details of the case and we will carefully study the accompanying evidence.” They have also expressed support for Shevchenko, who has denied the accusations against him. The Federation stated, “Until then, we are on the side of our chess player, who denies the accusations against him."
The Federation’s statement highlights the importance of due process and the need for concrete evidence before any decisions are made. So far, they have only seen press reports and hearsay, lacking official communication regarding the case. Chess.com has reported that during the competition, Shevchenko consistently denied any wrongdoing when questioned.
In a show of appreciation, FEDA thanked Silla – Integrant Col·lectius for their cooperation during the investigation and recognized the efforts of the refereeing team and the Championship's Appeals Committee.
Shevchenko, who previously represented Ukraine before switching allegiance to Romania, is a well-known figure in the chess world. He earned his grandmaster title in 2017 and achieved a career-best ranking of No. 39 just last year. As the situation continues to unfold, the chess community remains alert, eager to learn more about the details surrounding these serious allegations.
