Kirill Shevchenko, once ranked 75th in the world, has had his grandmaster title revoked by FIDE which has also slapped him with a three-year ban from all FIDE-rated events. While one year of the ban is suspended, FIDE said that the suspended year is “contingent on the absence of further misconduct”.
Shevchenko thus becomes the strongest grandmaster to be banned by FIDE for cheating in a tournament.
FIDE said in its ruling that the ban will run from 19 October 2024 until 18 October 2026, with the suspended portion in effect until 18 October 2027. The Grandmaster title, meanwhile, is revoked effective from the date of publishing this decision.
Shevchenko was initially banned for three years in a ruling by the First Instance Chamber (chaired by David Hater, together with Olga Baskakova and Alan Borda) of FIDE Ethics and Disciplinary Commission (EDC) on 15 March 2025. However, the player had appealed while FIDE’s Fair Play Commission (FPL) had also cross appealed. But in the Decision of the EDC First Instance Chamber, Shevchenko’s grandmaster title was not revoked.
The phone in the bathroom: A cheating plot uncovered
During the Spanish Team Championship held in Spain (12-18th October, 2024), particularly on the 13th October 2024, a phone was found in a private restroom near the general public facilities. The phone was accompanied by a hand-written note saying “Do not touch! The phone is left for a guest to answer at night.” The arbiters then discovered
that one of the cleaning ladies had found another phone in the bathroom the day before. Shevchenko was suspected of having placed and used these phones in the bathroom and was subsequently expelled from the tournament.
One of Shevchenko’s opponent’s in the event, GM Francisco Vallejo Pons, had complained to the arbiter that Shevchenko was spending too long away from the board. Another opponent, GM Bassem Amin, had also raised concerns. This had sparked the investigation from the arbiter.
The 22-year-old Shevchenko had confessed to hiding a phone in the toilet during the Spanish Team Championship. However, he had denied that he had used the phone to cheat with an engine during the tournament.
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The order from FIDE noted that Shevchenko in one of his communications had actually confessed to using Lichess app on the phone.
What did FIDE say about the incident?
“FIDE takes cheating cases among top players with the utmost seriousness. We are working hard on both prevention and swift, appropriate sanctions. Ensuring fair play is non-negotiable – it is essential to the credibility and future of our sport,” said Dana Reizniece, Deputy Chair of the FIDE Management Board.
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