American chess grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura has publicly blasted the International Chess Federation’s stringent security protocols at the current Candidates Tournament taking place in Cyprus, calling the anti-cheating procedures overly aggressive.
The U.S. player is among eight elite competitors vying for the opportunity to face Indian prodigy D Gukesh in this year’s world chess championship match.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Nakamura expressed frustration with the extensive use of scanning equipment and surveillance technology implemented by FIDE as part of their cheating prevention strategy.
“I think it’s all complete nonsense,” he said on his YouTube channel.
“I am just going to be honest… they scan us before the games, they scan us after the game.
“They have the metal detectors, they have the separate scanners, I mean… I feel like what are we all? Mossad agents inside Iran or something. Come on, we are chess players, let’s be real, seriously, let’s be real.”
The International Chess Federation pushed back against Nakamura’s complaints, arguing that strict security protocols are crucial for preserving the credibility of elite chess competitions.
“We find tight anti-cheating measures essential. What’s more, the sentiment is shared by the vast majority of players,” FIDE CEO Emil Sutovsky said.
“At the same time, physical check-ups for players hardly changed since Toronto, and it is not that there is any noticeable difference for players.
“No other participant complained about it – and that’s for a good reason: all the extra measures control and intercept signals, whilst not demanding players to be additionally searched.”
Chess cheating scandals gained widespread attention in 2022 when five-time world champion Magnus Carlsen suggested that young American player Hans Niemann might have used unfair assistance after suffering a surprising defeat at the Sinquefield Cup tournament.
Niemann subsequently acknowledged cheating in internet matches at ages 12 and 16 but firmly denied any wrongdoing in face-to-face tournament play. He pursued a $100 million lawsuit for defamation against Carlsen, Chess.com and Nakamura, though a federal judge threw out the case in June 2023.
This high-profile dispute will be featured in an upcoming Netflix documentary titled “Untold: Chess Mates,” set to premiere next week.
Following four completed rounds, Nakamura currently sits in sixth place at the Candidates Tournament, which continues through April 15.
