Magnus Carlsen rejects accusations of fixing in the World Rapid Chess Championship

MADRID 2 Ene. (EUROPA PRESS) –

The Norwegian Magnus Carlsen rejected this Thursday the accusations that were made about a possible draw agreement before the final of the World Rapid Chess Championship held in New York that was played last Wednesday with the Russian Ian Nepomniachtchi and that ended with both sharing the title. qualification.

“I have never prearranged a draw in my career. In the video I am joking with Ian in a situation lacking decisive tie-breaking rules. Obviously, it was not an attempt to influence FIDE,” the Norwegian player wrote on his online profile. social X after the criticism received.

A video posted on social media shows the pair discussing the result of the final and a proposal to the governing body, FIDE. But Carlsen, who initially quit the championship this week after being told he couldn’t wear jeans, says the conversation was joking.

“It was said in the spirit that I thought FIDE would accept our proposal. If anything, it was a bad joke given the seriousness of the situation. I think the game itself showed two players playing high-level chess , equal and both deserving of the victory,” he explained.

In any case, Carlsen’s opponent in the quarterfinals, the American Hans Niemann, has called for an investigation. It so happens that two years ago, the Norwegian accused the American of cheating, and the legal dispute was not resolved until a year later.

“This is the subject of an investigation by the FIDE Ethics Committee. I cannot believe that two players who maliciously accused me and tried to ruin my career are openly breaking the rules. The irony simply cannot be worse,” Niemann said in a statement. x.

Magnus Carlsen is a five-time world champion of Classical Chess, in which he no longer competes and which was recently won by the Indian Gukesh Dommaraju, and now mainly plays this rapid version.