'Vladimir Kramnik needs professional help': Ex-World Champ ‘dealing with delusions, psychological issues’ in huge claim

Levon Aronian has weighed in on Vladimir Kramnik's baseless cheating accusations.

Vladimir Kramnik has been facing considerable criticism lately, due to his comments following Daniel Naroditsky's death and also his cheating accusations against the American GM. Kramnik's crusade against cheating is not a new development. The former world champion's cheating crusade has been going on for quite some time, and other than Naroditsky, he has accused other players, too. His accusations towards Naroditsky began in October 2024 and continued for over a year, also affecting his mental health.

Vladimir Kramnik during a FIDE interview.(FIDE)

Kramnik has received criticism from many prominent names like Viswanathan Anand, Magnus Carlsen, Arjun Erigaisi, Nihal Sarin, Wesley So, Garry Kasparov.

‘He needs professional help’

Now Levon Aronian has weighed in on Kramnik's baseless cheating accusations, and revealed he has stopped trying to privately urge the chess legend to stop his approach.

"He’s in a place where I think he needs professional help. I don’t think he’s open to changing his opinion. I’ve had some friends and other people that I know have been dealing with kind of delusions and psychological problems. I care for him, I wish him the best, but I cannot help him," he said, while speaking to The Indian Express.

"Me trying to convince him will not work anymore. I’ve tried doing it and understood that he just perceives it in the wrong way. So I just stopped any efforts," he added.

In his final stream on October 17, Narodistky also looked distressed, and addressed Kramnik's accusations too. In the past, he also claimed that it took a tremendous toll on his mental health.

Naroditsky died on October 19, at the age of 29, and was less than a month short of his 30th birthday. According to reports, he was unconscious at his residence before being pronounced dead.