Complaint filed against India’s youngest FIDE-Rated chess player; father defends three-year-old prodigy

A complaint has been filed with FIDE against Sarwagya Singh Kushwaha, the youngest FIDE-rated chess player. The complaint alleges unfair means were used to secure his rating. His father and coach dismiss the claims as factional politics. Kushwaha secured victories against higher-ranked players in recent tournaments. Concerns are raised about opponents being from the same academy and tournament irregularities.
Three-year-old Sarvagya Singh Kushwaha (File Photo)
A complaint has been lodged against Sarwagya Singh Kushwaha, who recently made headlines as the youngest-ever FIDE-rated chess player. According to a report from The Indian Express, the complaint questions the legitimacy of his achievement, suggesting unfair means were used to obtain the rating. The complaint specifically alleges that his three opponents were coaches from the same academy where he trains.
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"It appears that the rating was achieved through unfair means, involving clear violations of FIDE's fair play principles by the coaches or individuals supervising the games," the complaint reads. The young prodigy from Sagar, Madhya Pradesh, has support from his father Siddharth Singh Kushwaha and coach Nitin Chaurasiya. While acknowledging the complaint filed with FIDE, they dismiss the allegations as factional politics within the Madhya Pradesh chess federation. "In Sagar, there are two factions in the local chess body. One faction is trying to target the other by trying to prove my son's record came by unfair means," Siddharth said. The young player secured victories against Abhijeet Awasthi (1,542), Shubham Chourasiya (1,559), and Yogesh Namdev (1,696) in tournaments across Khandwa, Indore, Chhindwara, and Mangaluru. These matches gained attention as his opponents were older and higher-ranked players. The complaint raises concerns about these opponents, stating they are coaches at the same academy where Sarwagya trains in Sagar. "Just because these people are from Sagar and we know them, it cannot prove that there was anything unfair. I know these three people by face, as someone who also runs a chess academy. They are like our competitors," his father added. Additional concerns have been raised about one particular tournament where both Sarwagya and Namdev allegedly joined after the initial draw. Reports suggest they were manually added to the draw and paired against each other. In the same tournament, Sarwagya reportedly lost a 10-minute rapid game on time after visiting the washroom during the final minutes.ALSO READ: The rise of ‘Queen’: From ages 8 to 18, how an all-girl team is bringing free chess to rural India
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