The 43-year-old international master (IM) Strembov received a disqualification for sending inappropriate letters, including pornographic ones, and used condoms to chess players.
FIDE’s decision was made after the investigations carried out by the internet platform “Meduza”, as well as by the Latvian police, both of which revealed that Strebkovs was the sender of the letters.
The police investigation in Latvia was followed by a criminal case, which concluded that the actions did not constitute a criminal offense under Latvian legislation, while the FIDE Ethics Commission (EDC) found that Strebkov violated several provisions of the Code of Ethics and Disciplinary Matters related to human dignity, ethical behavior and social behavior .
According to the EDC, Strebkov has been harassing female chess players for the past ten years. The investigation revealed that dozens of female players, some as young as 14, received obscene letters containing pornographic material and used condoms sent to their homes, clubs, universities and tournament venues. In addition to sending letters, Strebkov allowed himself to make offensive statements about women on various Internet platforms for many years, which helped to identify him.
Strebkovs claimed in his answer that only one case (in 2021) could be filed, because the other letters “have nothing to do with the chess competition” or chess. The defendant also argued that the letters did not refer to FIDE or national chess federations and the activities of these organizations. In fact, he claimed that FIDE had no jurisdiction over the matters in question.
“FIDE will not tolerate any form of harassment or harassment in the chess community, especially when minors are involved,” said FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich. “We want to provide a safe and welcoming environment for all players, whether male or female. We welcome the Ethics and Disciplinary Commission’s decision, which sends a clear message that this behavior will not be tolerated.”
The EDC decision states that FIDE supports female chess players who compete in a safe and respectful environment, which includes and extends to playing venues.
2024-08-14 13:07:19