Rudnitsky
MIAMI – A renowned checkers player has been blacklisted for organizing his own group to promote the game, he complains in a federal lawsuit filed weeks before an event in Miami he helped plan.
Alexander Rudnitsky sued the International Checkers Association of North America in Miami on Nov. 2 after the group issued a two-year suspension that would preclude him from playing in major U.S. competitions.
A native of Ukraine, Rudnitsky was a longtime member of ICAONA and is a five-time U.S. Champion who founded the National Draughts Federation of the USA in 2024. NDF’s purpose was partly to organize the Miami Open.
But despite continuing to declare ICAONA as America’s recognized member in the World Draughts Federation, tensions between his NDF and ICAONA continued to fester in the last year, the suit says.
ICAONA said it would not participate in NDF events due to its name, Rudnitsky says.
“In correspondence, ICANA went further, labeling NDF a ‘shadow’ and ‘self-proclaimed’ federation to delegitimize its role and to deter players from associating with it,” the suit says.
“These defamatory characterizations were paired with discriminatory restrictions aimed at directly at minors…”
By June 4, ICAONA imposed a two-year suspension on Rudnitsky, which he says was in return for creating the NDF. Though ICAONA said he had publicly denied ICAONA’s status as America’s registered member in the World Draughts Federation, he says that’s not true.
Rudnitsky also claims he was not allowed to speak in his own defense before the ICAONA.
ICAONA’s suspension letter says he violated the group’s bylaws in creating an entity that “directly challenges the authority, legitimacy and recognition of ICAONA as the sole official national draughts federation acknowledged” by world groups
ICAONA had asked that he rename NDF and edit its website to “clearly acknowledge” ICAONA’s status.
“To date, you have failed to comply with either of these directives,” the ICAONA letter says. “Your inaction and continued contravention of ICAONA’s directives constitute a willful and sustained breach of your obligations as a member.”
Rudnitsky seeks an injunction and damages for severe emotional distress, plus lost income for work he performed. The injunction asks a judge to stop ICAONA from interfering with the Miami Open, which starts Nov. 21, by contacting players, sponsors and federations to dissuade participation.
George Lambert of The Lambert Law Firm in Sunny Isles Beach, Fla., represents Rudnitsky.
