Former world No. 75 chess player Kirill Shevchenko has been stripped of his Grandmaster title by FIDE and handed a three-year ban from all FIDE-rated events. However, one year of the ban has been suspended, provided he doesn’t engage in further misconduct. His ban will officially run from October 19, 2024, to October 18, 2026, with the suspended year extending until October 18, 2027.

This decision follows a ruling from the FIDE Ethics and Disciplinary Commission (EDC) in March 2025, which initially imposed a three-year ban. Shevchenko appealed the ruling, and FIDE's Fair Play Commission also filed a cross-appeal. While the EDC had not originally revoked his Grandmaster title, that change has now been implemented.

Dana Reizniece, Deputy Chair of the FIDE Management Board, emphasized, "FIDE takes cheating cases among top players with the utmost seriousness. We are working hard on both prevention and swift, appropriate sanctions. Ensuring fair play is non-negotiable – it is essential to the credibility and future of our sport."

The incident that led to Shevchenko's ban occurred during the Spanish Team Championship, where a phone was found in a private restroom near public facilities. The phone had a note that said, "Do not touch! The phone is left for a guest to answer at night." Another phone had been discovered in a bathroom the day before, raising suspicions that Shevchenko might have been using these phones to cheat.

After an opponent complained about Shevchenko spending too much time away from the board, he admitted to hiding a phone in the restroom, though he denied using it for cheating. Following this, he was expelled from the tournament.