Former Olympic gold medallist Abhinav Bindra on Tuesday said the episode involving Zerodha co-founder Nikhil Kamath and chess player Viswanathan Anand can give everyone a lesson on how to follow rules, integrity, and honesty. His remarks came after billionaire Kamath''s account was banned for using unfair methods in a charity match against five-time world champion Anand. Kamath had defeated Anand in a COVID-19 relief charity match by taking external help and that saw his account getting banned.
"The @nikhilkamathcio episode gives us all wonderful life lessons that only sport can give -- Fairness, the need to follow rules, integrity, honesty. Although caught on the wrong side on this one I am hoping thru his sports experience he will be enriched as a human being," tweeted Bindra.
Anand on his part had said he only played the position on the board and "expected the same" from billionaire Kamath during their charity game.
"Yesterday was a celebrity simul for people to raise money It was a fun experience upholding the ethics of the game. I just played the position on the board and expected the same from everyone," Anand tweeted.
The All India Chess Federation (AICF) Secretary Bharat Chauhan had said it was "unfortunate" to see unfair methods employed in a charity chess game.
The AICF secretary termed it as a "bad" move by Kamath and said it shouldn't have happened. "It is very unfortunate it was a charity match. We don't expect anybody to get help from computers. At the national and state level we are following the protocols. We are putting cameras where players are playing and there is a fair play committee which includes three grandmasters and two players," Bharat told ANI.
"All things are completely followed but in this kind of charity match, we didn't expect anybody to do this. It is very unfortunate such things have happened. He is not a player and he has apologised in public. He is not a regular player or our member, we don't have jurisdiction, he was doing it for charity he shouldn't have done. This is really bad. For the noble cause, we are helping people and such things shouldn't happen," Bharat added.
After reports came to the light, claiming that Kamath had been banned, he too revealed that he took help from some people and computers to analyse the game. He also apologised for his "silly" behaviour.