Ian Nepomniachtchi

Russia's No. 1

“I think there should be a system of reputation. And there are probably many cases of athletes caught doping and returning long afterward in one role or another. For example, as coaches, analysts, or something similar. But until you’ve served your sentence, you probably shouldn’t do that.

And the system of reputation itself works in such a way that even if you can formally participate in all this, the organizers may simply not want you there. And that makes a lot of sense.

In chess, I think this is a very serious problem, because it will sooner or later kill the game. Especially online chess, but, unfortunately, also over-the-board chess. And the longer it goes on, the more obvious this problem becomes.

What kind of ban should there be for cheating in chess? After all, while in traditional sports doping can contribute a mere 10% to a result, in chess, using cheats contributes 100%. And what sanctions should this entail?

But overall, I think the reputational consequences should be no less serious than the formal and legal consequences.”