“I believe that Niemann has cheated more – and more recently – than he has publicly admitted,” GM Magnus Carlsen wrote in a much-anticipated statement about GM Hans Niemann’s alleged cheating. The world champion posted the statement on Twitter just moments ago. Chess.com reports: Carlsen starts by saying that he is “frustrated” about the situation like the whole chess community is. He then uses the word “cheating,” finally becoming more concrete after the mysterious tweet that he sent on September 5, with a video in which Jose Mourinho can be seen saying: “I prefer really not to speak; if I speak I’m in big trouble.” Carlsen then confirms what has been mentioned by GM Fabiano Caruana in a recent podcast: that the world champion already considered withdrawing from the Sinquefield Cup before the first round, when he heard that Niemann was the last-minute replacement for GM Richard Rapport.
The most important phrase in the statement reads: “I believe that Niemann has cheated more â” and more recently — than that he has publicly admitted.” Carlsen, however, doesn’t specify if he is referring to online chess or over-the-board chess. Regarding online chess, Niemann has admitted to having cheated twice on Chess.com, when he was 12 and when he was 16 years old, and that he regrets that. In a statement posted on September 9, IM Danny Rensch wrote on behalf of Chess.com: “We have shared detailed evidence with him concerning our decision, including information that contradicts his statements regarding the amount and seriousness of his cheating on Chess.com.” Carlsen, who lost his game to Niemann before leaving the Sinquefield Cup, reveals in his statement that he is suspicious about Niemann’s play in that game as well.
The big question, whether the world champion has hard evidence that shows Niemann has cheated, remains unclear from the statement. It seems Carlsen is restricted for legal reasons, as he writes: “Unfortunately, at this time I am limited in what I can say without explicit permission from Niemann to speak openly.”
