The Play Magnus Group, which is partly owned by Norwegian champion Magnus Carlsen, said on Tuesday that a complaint filed by American chess player Hans Niemann against those who accuse him of cheating is unwarranted and outlandish, AFP reported.
Hans Niemann’s complaint “harms chess”
19-year-old Hans Niemann, more or less clearly suspected of cheating for several weeks, responded on October 20 by filing a complaint in the United States against his accusers, who include Magnus Carlsen, the group he founded, Play Magnus or chess.com platforms, writes Agerpres.
Accusing them of “defamation” and “complicity,” he is seeking at least $100 million in damages.
“The company is surprised by this complaint and sees no basis for these claims. Play Magnus is consulting with legal advisors regarding possible actions.” replied Play Magnus on Tuesday,a group in which Magnus Carlsen still owns 8.54% of the shares and which is in the process of selling chess.com.
It all started on September 5, when the young American beat the Norwegian star, a five-time world champion, at the Sinquefield Cup in the USA. Then Magnus Carlsen withdrew from this tournament, implying that the American cheated.
These accusations, repeated since then by Carlsen, were echoed by American player Hikaru Nakamura and the world’s most important online chess platform, chess.com, for which Niemann “probably cheated” at least a hundred times online.
Niemann claims that his detractors came to an agreement based on financial interests. He admitted to cheating on chess.com in the past between the ages of 12 and 16, but denied the latest allegations, saying he was “ready to play naked” if necessary.
The platform that banned him said it was “disappointed” by the procedure initiated by Niemann.
“We believe his complaint harms chess and its dedicated players and fans around the world,” commented the platform, which considers the complaint “baseless.”
This civil action is pending in federal court in Missouri. For its part, the International Chess Federation (FIDE) has launched an investigation to shed light on the matter.
Source: Hot News RO
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