Yan Chenglong, a 48-year-old Chinese chess champion, recently had to relinquish his Chess King tournament title due to reported “bad behavior.”
The incident occurred in Hainan, where he emerged victorious, claiming a prize of 100,000 yuan.
However, the aftermath saw accusations and a subsequent investigation by the Chinese Xiangqi Association (CXA).
According to the Global Times, Yan was accused of engaging in inappropriate behavior at his hotel, involving defacement of property and misuse of facilities.
As a result, the CXA declared that he violated public order and good morals, leading to a one-year suspension from all Xiangqi tournaments and the forfeiture of his winnings.
Rumors circulated on social media alleging that Yan may have cheated during the tournament using a vibrating sex toy.
Chinese state media also covered these claims, intensifying the controversy.
Despite this, Yan vehemently denied the accusations, insisting that he was unfairly penalized for the hotel incident.
He expressed his intention to take legal action against what he deemed “slanderous comments” from online bloggers.
In its statement, the CXA admitted uncertainty about the cheating allegations, emphasizing that it could not conclusively determine whether Yan used a sex toy for cheating purposes.
In an interview with China Newsweek, Yan apologized for his post-tournament behavior, explaining that he felt unwell and had to leave abruptly for a flight, though he attempted to clean up the hotel room.
Yan, a long-time player with previous victories, faced consequences for his actions, showcasing the unique challenges within the competitive chess community.
Notably, this incident follows another recent scandal involving world chess champion Magnus Carlsen and US grandmaster Hans Niemann, where accusations of cheating also surfaced, involving vibrating sex toys.
The governing bodies investigated Niemann, concluding that while he didn’t cheat against Carlsen, he did cheat in numerous online games.
The chess world continues to grapple with controversies and allegations, revealing the complexities within the realm of competitive board games.
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