The Appeals Chamber of the Ethics and Disciplinary Commission of the International Chess Federation (FIDE) has decided to intensify the penalties against former Ukrainian chess player Kirill Shevchenko in a fraud case. He has been stripped of his grandmaster title.

This was reported by the FIDE press service.

Shevchenko, who was born in Ukraine, chose to represent Romania soon after the war began. He is a champion of the 2021 European Team Championship as a member of the Ukrainian team.

In October 2024, Kirill was suspended from the Spanish Team Championship over suspicions of fraud. He was accused of having a hidden phone in the restroom. In March of this year, Shevchenko's disqualification was extended until October 2026.

According to the new ruling, Shevchenko has lost his grandmaster title in addition to the original penalty.

"FIDE takes cases of fraud among top players very seriously. We are actively working on prevention as well as prompt and appropriate sanctions. Ensuring fair play is non-negotiable – it is the foundation of our sport's reputation and future," stated Dana Reizniece, deputy chair of FIDE.

Suspicion around the 22-year-old player arose due to his frequent trips to the restroom, where mobile phones were found twice, one of which had a note in Ukrainian handwriting. Initially, Kirill denied all accusations but later admitted his guilt.