The world No. 1 chess player Magnus Carlsen has refuted the match-fixing allegations that have emerged after a backstage video from the World Blitz Championship 2024 showcased him negotiating the possibility of enforcing draws with his opponent Ian Nepomniachtchi.
In the viral video, Carlsen can be heard talking about the possibility of playing out short draws if their proposal to share the title was rejected.
The video has made way to claims which suggest that Carlsen tried to prearrange a draw in the high-profile final. "If they like refuse, we can just play short draws until they give up," Carlsen can be heard saying in the viral video.
Sensing that the matter may soon get out of hand, Carlsen put out a post on X, to issue a clarification. "I’ve never prearranged a draw in my career," Carlsen posted on X.
"In the video I’m joking with Ian in a situation with lacking decisive tiebreak rules. This was obviously not an attempt to influence FIDE. It was said in the spirit that I thought FIDE would agree to our proposal. If anything it was a bad joke given the gravity of the situation."
The five-time world champion also went on to add that the spectacle exhibited "high level of chess" with both him and Nepomniachtchi equally "deserving" to take the title home.
"I think the match itself showed two players playing high level chess, equally matched and both deserving of a win," he added.
Meanwhile, the World Blitz Championship 2024 final saw a tug-of-war between Carlsen and his adversary Nepomniachtchi. The fixture witnessed seven rounds and ended in a tie after both players failed to outmanoeuvre each other despite multiple attempts. As a result, the title was jointly awarded to both finalists by FIDE (International Chess Federation).
