US women’s chess champion accuses grandmaster of sexually abusing her

Jennifer Shahde claimed that Alejandro Ramirez, the team coach of Saint Louis University’s chess team, assaulted her in two instances nearly a decade ago

Two-time US women’s chess champion Jennifer Shahade has accused Grandmaster Alejandro Ramirez of sexually abusing her.

Ms Shahade, 42, made the allegations in a tweet posted on Wednesday. She claimed that 34-year-old Mr Ramirez, the team coach of Saint Louis University’s chess team, assaulted her in two instances nearly a decade ago, and said she finally decided to speak out after several alleged victims reached out to her with similar experiences in recent years.

Ms Shahade told Chess.com that she made the complaints last summer with the US Chess Federation and the Saint Louis Chess Club — which are now conducting separate probes. One of the purported assaults, Ms Shahade said, involved a minor.

“I’d moved on until the past couple years, when multiple women, independent of each other and with no knowledge of my own experience, approached me with their own stories of alleged abuse,” Ms Shahade wrote in her tweet.

“These accounts were from much younger alleged victims. I saw alarming evidence, including texts that admitted abuse of a minor while he was coaching her, as well as a text to an alleged victim about being an underage ‘temptress’.”

US Chess has since issued a statement saying that the federation will not comment on the status of the complaint pending its review.

“As an organization we are committed to due process and for dealing with sensitive matters in a respectful and confidential manner,’ the statement read. “At the conclusion of any process related to a formal complaint, both complainants and respondents are notified about the disposition of the matter, along with any sanctions that are imposed.”

Meanwhile, Mr Ramirez told Chess.com that he is cooperating with inquiries by US Chess and the Saint Louis Chess Club and that he “is looking forward to the opportunity” to respond to the allegations and “share [his] side of the story” once the probes are finalised.

“I understand the concern raised by the allegations levied against me,” he told the outlet.

Ms Shahade said that she has taken a step back from the public spotlight as the investigations unfold.

“I’ve filled the time with poker, writing, and promoting girls in chess. And yet a lot of that work to make chess more inclusive is futile if we cannot make crystal clear that the safety of women, girls, and children is of the highest priority,” she said in her tweet. “And that’s why I’m speaking out now.”

The Independent has reached out to Mr Ramirez, the US Chess Federation and the Saint Louis Chess Club.

It’s the latest controversy to rock the competitive chess world after US chess player Hans Niemann was accused of using a sex toy to beat Norweigan world champion Magnus Carlsen. The upset victory by Mr Niemann prompted the bizarre claims online.

Mr Niemann, who has categorically denied the allegations, was accused of using anal beads connected to a computer that would use artificial intelligence to find the best moves and provide directions via vibrations in the toy.