The verdict
After deliberating for 2 hours, the commission found the three players guilty of violation of sports ethics at the Khanty Mansiysk Chess Olympiad.
The committee condemned International Master Cyril Marzolo and gave him 5-year suspension.
Grandmaster Sebastien Feller was suspended for 3 years, followed by 2 years of community service with the FFE or other association chosen by him (if he refuses, 2 years TIG will be transformed into 2-year suspension).
Grandmaster Arnaud Hauchard was convicted of “offenses against the ethics, but not the same [as the other two defendants].” He received a reprimand for misconduct and was sentenced to a lifetime ban as Captain or Coach within the Federation.
Full article here.
Chess Daily News from Susan Polgar
I don’t find the evidence convincing.
Trumped up. Injust.
Both Susan and Kevin Spraggett report the punishment but not the evidence. Kevin mentions a couple of hundred text messages during one of the players games, but there’s no indication there about who received them or saw them. They should post all the evidence somewhere to back up this serious punishment.
The cheating is clear. E4 is enough evidence I say!