Controversies Surrounding Magnus Carlsen at 2024 FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Championships

Norwegian chess grandmaster Magnus Carlsen has been at the center of controversy since the 2024 FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Championships in New York. The drama began with a jeans scandal during the Rapid Championship and escalated during the Blitz Championship with a viral video accusing him of match-fixing.

In the Blitz final, Carlsen started strong with two wins but then Ian Nepomniachtchi staged a comeback, leading to a 2-2 tie. In the sudden death round, both players agreed to share the title after three draws, despite initial disagreement from FIDE officials. A video then surfaced showing Carlsen allegedly ordering Ian to play short draws if they were not allowed to share the title.

The video received backlash from fans and fellow players, who criticized Carlsen for not playing out the match to determine a clear winner. FIDE president Arkady Dvorkovich defended Carlsen, attributing the controversy to flawed regulations that lacked motivation for the players to continue competing.

In addition to the New York controversies, Carlsen has faced criticism from Indian chess fans for his comments on D Gukesh, the youngest world chess champion in history. Carlsen’s remarks on the match not meeting his standards and his criticism of Gukesh have further fueled the controversy surrounding the chess superstar.