My statement regarding the last few weeks. pic.twitter.com/KY34DbcjLo
— Magnus Carlsen (@MagnusCarlsen) September 26, 2022
A commotion of comments and accusations that Niemann had cheated ensued when Carlsen, the world champion since 2013, surprisingly lost to the 19-year-old at the Sinquefield Cup in St. Louis, Missouri, earlier this month.
Niemann has refuted accusations that he engaged in unfair games.
“When Niemann was invited last minute to the 2022 Sinquefield Cup, I strongly considered withdrawing prior to the event. I ultimately chose to play,” Carlsen said.
Niemann was previously expelled from chess.com for online cheating after admitting he had not played fairly in youth-oriented non-competitive games there.
“I believe that Niemann has cheated more – and more recently – than he has publicly admitted,” Carlsen said on Monday.
“His over the board progress has been unusual, and throughout our game in the Sinquefield Cup I had the impression that he wasn’t tense or even fully concentrating on the game in critical positions, while outplaying me as black in a way I think only a handful of players can do.”
Niemann wasn’t available to remark right away.
“I have never cheated in an over-the-board game. If they want me to strip fully naked, I will do it. I don’t care. Because I know I am clean,” he said recently.
Carlsen reiterated his concerns about cheating in sports while pleading for stricter detection measures.
The Norwegian expressed worries about doping in the sport, and the International Chess Federation (FIDE) acknowledged this last week.
“Chess organizers and all those who care about the sanctity of the game we love should seriously consider increasing security measures and methods of cheat detection for over-the-board chess,” Carlsen added.
“We must do something about cheating, and for my part going forward, I don’t want to play against people that have repeatedly cheated in the past, because I don’t know what they are capable of doing in the future.”
