The chess world faces a #MeToo reckoning as Chess.com cuts ties with the prestigious St. Louis club over alleged assault allegations of sexual misconduct.
The move comes after US Women’s Champion Jen Shahade accused grandmaster Alejandro Ramirez in February of sexually assaulting her twice and St Louis Chess Club and US Chess have ignored her allegations for years.
Now the influential site, with more than 100 million members, has said it will no longer support or report on St. Louis Chess Club events.
“We are disappointed with the way the US Chess Federation leaders have handled this whole situation and hope to see improvements in transparency and action,” said Chess.com Chief Executive Officer Danny Rensch. told The Wall Street Journal.
Chess.com’s decision comes after Lichess.org, a not-for-profit chess server used to host events, said last week it would no longer partner with both the St. Louis Chess Club and the US Chess Federation “due to serious concerns about their Lack of Accountability.”
Several women made allegations against grandmaster Alejandro Ramirez, including three who were under the age of 18 at the time of the alleged incidents
US women’s champion Jen Shahade accused grandmaster Alejandro Ramirez of sexually assaulting her twice in February
“Women and girls in chess are already facing an uphill battle. They deserve a safe and supportive environment,” Lichess wrote on her website.
“Too often they face abuse, harassment or worse. And all too often they feel powerless to report it or seek justice. It’s time to help break the silence.”
A US Chess spokesperson said in a statement that it is committed to protecting the safety of its members and will “remain vigilant in identifying and adopting additional best practices.”
Jen Shahade’s Twitter thread led to several other women coming forward with allegations against Ramirez, including three who were under the age of 18 at the time of the alleged incidents.
The women claimed that the Grand Master used his power and status to make repeated unwanted sexual advances towards them and that he became physically aggressive.
A lawyer for Ramirez said at the time that he “remains a strong supporter of those who try to raise issues of concern to anyone.”
US Chess and the St. Louis Chess Club failed to address these and other allegations when they first learned of them, including the abuse of a 15-year-old, the Wall Street Journal reported.
Eventually, the St. Louis Chess Club said it had accepted Ramirez’s resignation, and in May he was banned by US Chess.
Chess.com Chief Chess Officer Danny Rensch said: ‘We are disappointed with how the U.S. Chess Federation leadership has handled this whole situation’
There is speculation online that San Francisco native Hans Niemann (pictured), a relative newcomer to the sport, had wireless anal beads inserted into his body before his victorious match against world No. 1 grandmaster Magnus Carlsen, 31
Magnus Carlsen, 31, left the $500,000 Sinquefield Cup after being defeated in the third round, sparking online speculation that he suspected foul play
However, the response seemed to come too late and all four women of the US Chess Accessibility and Special Circumstances Committee resigned in a call for greater protections for female players.
“So far we have not seen any meaningful indication that our suggestions to US Chess to remedy sexual assault within its ranks will be seriously considered,” independent arbitrator Judit Sztaray, who resigned, wrote on social media.
The chess world endured one of its most high-profile scandals last year, when an American chess grandmaster was accused of cheating with anal beads.
19-year-old Hans Niemann was accused of cheating by world champion Magnus Carlsen last September after the teenager beat the Norwegian – widely regarded as the world’s best chess player – seemingly without concentration.
Chess fans speculated that a henchman watching the game at the Sinquefield Cup in St. Louis used a chess program to determine the perfect move, then sent coded instructions through the vibrating sex toy.
Carlsen withdrew from the tournament, and a later report from Chess.com found that Niemann likely cheated in over 100 online games.
Niemann vehemently denied Carlsen’s allegations, saying he cheated only twice in his life — at ages 12 and 16 — and that both offenses were some of the biggest regrets of his life.
“Except when I was 12 years old, I never, never, never – and I never would, that’s the worst thing I could ever do – cheat in a prize money tournament,” Niemann said afterwards.
“I never cheated while streaming.”
“Keep in mind I was 16 years old, I never wanted to hurt anyone, these were random games. I could never – could even fathom it – in a real game.”