In brief
The chess community is in shock as Romanian grandmaster Kirill Shevchenko is disqualified for suspected cheating after a phone was found in a bathroom stall, potentially facilitating illegal assistance during matches.
In a surprising turn of events at a chess championship in Spain, 22-year-old grandmaster Kirill Shevchenko has been disqualified amid accusations of cheating. The Ukrainian player, who represents Romania, was implicated after officials discovered a phone in a bathroom stall that he had frequently used during the tournament. The disqualification occurred on Monday when tournament officials, investigating extended bathroom breaks taken by Shevchenko, found a mobile device hidden in a stall. Tournament chief arbiter, Oscar Bruno de Prado Rodriguez, reported that the phone contained a note which read: “Don’t touch! This telephone has been left so the owner can answer it at night!” This handwriting allegedly matched that of Shevchenko, and the pen’s ink closely resembled that he had been using.Further scrutiny revealed that after returning from the restroom, Shevchenko made several rapid moves, raising additional suspicion. Additionally, reports indicated that another phone was discovered in the same vicinity a day earlier by a cleaning staff member and subsequently turned over to tournament authorities. The chess community is awaiting more details on this unfolding scandal as the integrity of the game is called into question.
