FIDE CEO Emil Sutovsky responded to Hikaru Nakamura’s criticism of the anti-cheating system at the Candidates Tournament 2026 in an interview with Reuters. Sutovsky states that strict measures are necessary, and cites the system used at the 2024 Candidates as an example.

Emil Sutovsky

Emil Sutovsky

FIDE CEO

“We find tight anti-cheating measures essential. What’s more, the sentiment is shared by the vast majority of players.

At the same time, physical check-ups for players hardly changed since Toronto, and it is not that there is any noticeable difference for players.

No other participant complained about it — and that’s for a good reason: all the extra measures control and intercept signals, whilst not demanding players to be additionally searched.”

The FIDE Candidates Tournament 2026 takes place from March 28 to April 16 at the Cap St Georges Hotel and Resort in Pegeia, Cyprus. The FIDE Fair Play Commission posted a photo of an arsenal of new anti-cheat devices on their Facebook account On March 29. Among the devices: 2 Garret metal detectors, an RF detector for detecting hidden radio transmitters, a thermal imager, several analyzers with screens, etc.

Credit: Michal Walusza / FIDE