Cover image via Follow us on Instagram, TikTok, and WhatsApp for the latest stories and breaking news.
Competitive chess players could soon undergo facial recognition verification to confirm their identity under a proposal aimed at eradicating cheating in the sport
Timur Turlov, a candidate contesting the presidency of the International Chess Federation (FIDE), unveiled the initiative during a debate ahead of the federation's upcoming election on 26 September.
According to World Chess, Turlov called on the global governing body to invest heavily in an artificial intelligence-driven security framework to verify the identity of a person operating an online account.
FIDE presidential candidate Timur Turlov.
Image via Finance FeedsImage viaDescribing biometric verification as "banking-quality identification", Turlov noted that the technology offers a straightforward solution to identity verification
The Kazakhstan Chess Federation president explained that biometric checks would verify the identities of professional players while preventing amateur competitors from managing multiple accounts under different names.
Turlov also suggested that FIDE collaborate with technology companies and established online chess platforms to engineer advanced artificial intelligence models to flag suspicious moves.
While acknowledging that no software can completely stop every bad actor, he stressed that security systems must continually adapt.
However, the proposal faces hurdles, including data privacy concerns, secure storage of personal information, and the logistics of implementing such a system across FIDE's global member federations.
Image used for illustration purposes only.
Image via Doğan Alpaslan Demir/PexelsThe facial recognition proposal emerged as one of the few substantive policy discussions during what World Chess Chief Executive Officer Ilya Merenzon described as a "horrible" presidential debate
The virtual session suffered a major disruption shortly after candidate Wadim Rosenstein opened his speech by promising to remain accessible to all member federations "24 hours a day, 7 days a week".
Moments after his opening address, Rosenstein's Internet connection dropped out, causing him to vanish from the broadcast. Despite repeated reconnection attempts by platform hosts, the debate proceeded without him for another 85 minutes.
The chaotic debate comes as fair play remains a fierce point of contention within international chess
Former tournament directors note that players sneaking mobile phones into venues remains a common breach; one amateur competitor was previously removed from an event after security discovered a smartphone hidden inside his sock.
Image used for illustration purposes only.
Image via Lefterer/PexelsPopular chess streamer and grandmaster Levy Rozman, known online as GothamChess, emphasised that online platforms and physical tournament organisers must share data more closely regarding suspected cheaters
He argued that players facing disciplinary action in major online events should face stricter monitoring during real-world, over-the-board tournaments.
However, Rozman cautioned against criminalising cheaters, noting that younger players often make poor choices online. While offenders should simply face bans, he stressed that incidents involving cash prize funds must be treated as a far more serious matter.
