Indian Express
Grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura has slammed the International Chess Federation for its stringent anti-cheating measures at the ongoing Candidates Tournament in Cyprus, calling them 'complete nonsense'.
Nakamura expressed his frustration when asked about the anti-cheating measures at the elite tournament to determine D Gukesh's challenger for the world championship later this year.
He said the scanners and machines around the playing area have made the players feel like Mossad agents operating inside Iran.
Nakamura added that FIDE should 'get real', saying it was impossible to cheat with an elite field and so many arbiters in the playing hall.
He said, 'I think it's all complete nonsense. That not to say I have a problem with that per se but I just think that the fears that some players have expressed. I'm just going to be honest...they scan us before the games they scan us after the game.'
Nakamura, who drew his fourth-round match with Wei Yi to be on just 1.5 points, said he didn't 'see a reason' to give his feedback to FIDE.
He added, 'my general view is that it's all overblown. At a smaller open tournament where you don't have all these scanners and equipment, I can understand the concerns.'
With India's two-time world rapid champion Koneru Humpy pulling out of the women's section of the Candidates due to Cyprus' proximity to the Gulf conflict, Nakamura said the concerns were 'overblown.'
