Accused of cheating and defecating in bathtub, Chinese chess champion loses title and prize money
Yan Chenglong, a Chinese chess champion, has been stripped of his title and prize money following allegations of cheating and misconduct during a Xiangqi competition.
The Chinese Xiangqi Association (CXA) stated that it was impossible to substantiate the cheating allegations, but Chenglong was still stripped of his title and prize money.
He was also suspended for a year on the grounds of damaging hotel property and violating “good morals.
“The incident reportedly occurred in his hotel room in China’s Hainan Province on the night of December 17, following a night of celebration.
Chenglong has denied the allegations, attributing the incident to a bout of diarrhoea.
However, this isn’t the first time the chess world has been shaken by such unusual cheating allegations. Previously, chess prodigy Hans Niemann was accused of using a similar device after defeating world champion Magnus Carlsen.
Niemann denied the claims and subsequently initiated a defamation case against Carlsen and Chess.com, which had reported that he had “likely” cheated in online games, although no evidence was found to support in-person cheating.
This incident has once again cast a spotlight on the integrity of competitive chess and the lengths to which players may go to secure a win.
It remains to be seen how the Chass community will respond to these allegations and what measures will be taken to prevent such incidents in the future.
