> It is not typical for you to have to prove your own innocence That is what I said, I think. The question of proving your innocence usually doesn't come up.

> It is not typical for you to have to prove your own innocence That is what I said, I think. The question of proving your innocence usually doesn't come up. Private parties simply decide to do business with someone else instead of you, game over. Niemann is currently not under any USCF or FIDE sanctions afaik, and there are lots of open tournaments that anyone can play in as long as they are not under sanctions, so Niemann is unconditionally allowed to play in those. The Sinquefield and Baer tournaments are closed invitationals and some people are of the view that people with cheating records shouldn't receive invitations to those sorts of events. That is an intermediate view, between people saying an online cheating record shouldn't affect OTB playing opportunities, and other people saying cheating anywhere should mean getting banned everywhere. Your view on the rights and wrongs of this are up to you. I don't claim special wisdom. I can observe that other people's views are all over the place. I do know that your expectations should be formed by seeing what happens in reality, rather than by what you would prefer to see happen.