D Gukesh faces racist abuse after defeating Magnus Carlsen at Norway Chess; organisers condemn 'hateful' remarks

The organisers of Norway Chess 2025 on Tuesday have condemned the racist remarks directed towards world champion D Gukesh after he defeated world no.1 Magnus Carlsen in a Classical game on Sunday. This was Indian Grandmaster Gukesh’s first win over Carlsen in Classical chess and many experts are claiming it as the biggest upset of the year, but it seems the result has also offended quite a people across the world.

Racist comments such as “Magnus was distracted by the curry scent” and “He later mentioned that Gukesh scent was an undebatable trait” have reportedly flooded the comments section of a Norway Chess 2025 videos showing the Indian star’s victory over Carlsen.

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The screenshots of the racist comments reportedly made on TikTok have been shared by users on X and have gone viral since then.

Can I ask Why isn’t @NorwayChess moderating its TikTok account, despite repeated racist comments targeting Gukesh? These comments are visible, liked by thousands, and consistently appear at the top. pic.twitter.com/gxVrc26n5Q

— Meru (@MeruOnX) June 2, 2025

This is exactly what I’ve been trying to explain to my fellow Indians who think I am overreacting. I’ve seen the amount of racism Gukesh faces from people outside India. Here is one from the official Norway Chess TikTok account which has been liked by thousands of people. https://t.co/nvkxuZuL9n pic.twitter.com/4zwkTE2lQg

— Meru (@MeruOnX) June 2, 2025

Norway Chess condemns racism against Gukesh

Reacting to the racist comments, Norway Chess announced on X that they are aware of the “hateful and racist remarks” made under the videos shared by them and they “do not tolerate racism or hate speech in any form.”

The organisers of one of the most prestigious chess tournaments that takes place in Carlsen’s home country also said that their team is “actively” moderating and removing harmful content. They also urged the users to highlight anything they find “unacceptable.”

The videos of Gukesh beating Carlsen and the five-time world champion slamming the table with his fist in frustration have drawn huge viewership on social media. One of the videos posted by Norway Chess on X has garnered over 21 million views, 91,000 likes and 13,000 shares.

OH MY GOD 😳🤯😲 pic.twitter.com/QSbbrvQFkE

— Norway Chess (@NorwayChess) June 1, 2025

Norway Chess’s statement on racism against Gukesh

Here’s Norway Chess’s full statement condemning racist statements against Gukesh.

“We want to take a moment to address something important.

We’ve seen the incredible reach of Gukesh’s historic win over Magnus, and we’re proud to celebrate moments like these that bring the global chess community together. However, we’re also aware that among the thousands of comments across platforms, some hateful and racist remarks have appeared.

We want to be clear: we do not tolerate racism or hate speech in any form.

Our team actively moderates and removes harmful content, but with the volume of engagement, it’s a challenge to catch everything immediately. We are working to strengthen our moderation efforts and continue creating a space that respects all players and fans.

If you see something unacceptable, we welcome your help. Please report it or flag it. Together, we can keep this community positive, inclusive, and respectful.

Thank you for your support. #NorwayChess”