BEIJING, China: A scandal has rocked the world of Chinese chess as the recently crowned national champion, Yan Chenglong, finds himself embroiled in a controversy leading to the stripping of his title.
The Chinese Xiangqi Association (CXA) announced on Monday that Yan’s victory celebration took a bizarre turn, resulting in the revocation of his title and the confiscation of his prize money.
The CXA cited Yan’s actions as “disrupting public order” and displaying “extremely bad character” after a celebratory night turned into an incident where he defecated in a hotel bathtub, causing damage to hotel property. The association expressed its disappointment, emphasizing the negative impact on the competition, the event of Xiangqi, and the reputation of the sport.
Additionally, rumours circulating on social media accused Yan of cheating during the tournament, alleging the use of anal beads equipped with wireless transmitters to send and receive signals. Reports suggested that Yan used rhythmic clenching and unclenching to relay information about the chessboard to a computer, which then sent back instructions through vibrations.
In response to the cheating allegations, the CXA stated, “It is currently impossible to prove that Yan engaged in cheating via ‘anal beads’ as speculated on social media.” Despite this, Yan has been banned from playing for a year and stripped of his hard-earned title.
The association’s decision highlights the seriousness with which they view both cheating and behaviour that tarnishes the sport’s image. The scandal serves as a stark reminder of the expectations surrounding sportsmanship and fair play in competitive gaming.
