FIDE CEO joins Magnus Carlsen 'match-fixing' debate, taunts the 'GOAT'

Emil Sutovsky, CEO of FIDE, has unleashed a barrage on Magnus Carlsen after the Norwegian forced the world chess body to have a shared first at the World Blitz Chess Championship in New York.

Sutovsky has questioned Carlsen's widely accepted status as the GOAT (Greatest Of All Time' of chess after the Norwegian was heard telling his opponent, Ian Nepomniachtchi, to play out draws in a video clip from behind the scenes during the final.

"If they refuse, we can just play short draws until they give up," Carlsen is heard telling Nepo as the two waited in the playing hall for FIDE to come up with a response to the World No. 1's suggestion to have an unprecedented shared first place.

Sutovsky appears to be saying that Carlsen tried to fix the final match. "President (Arkady) Dvorkovich took a decision under the spur of a moment, and of course, the video appeared much later. I do think it is VERY BAD tho. Too early to say what are the possible consequences," Sutovsky posted. The FIDE CEO summed up his tirade by claiming that it was a shame that the 'never-ending GOAT saga' overshadowed the triumphant stories of other champions at the world event.

Carlsen's response
"I’ve never prearranged a draw in my career. In the video I’m joking with Ian in a situation with lacking decisive tiebreak rules," Carlsen posted in response to a comment on Sutovsky's allegation.

"This was obviously not an attempt to influence FIDE. It was said in the spirit that I thought FIDE would agree to our proposal. If anything it was a bad joke given the gravity of the situation. I think the match itself showed two players playing high level chess, equally matched and both deserving of a win," Carlsen posted.

The players agreed to share the first place as a clear winner did not emerge even after seven games. "I thought we had already played for a very long time. I thought it would be a reasonable solution," Carlsen said shortly after the match.

Carlsen and Sutovsky have been at loggerheads for some time. Following a row over a dress code violation, Carlsen called Sutovsky and other FIDE higher-ups, including Deputy President Viswanathan Anand, 'not grown-ups'. Carlsen said it was not possible to reason with Sutovsky.