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Tengrinews.kz – The authorities of Afghanistan have indefinitely banned the game of chess and dissolved the national chess federation.
According to chess.com, the news was reported by the Khaama Press portal.
It is explained that the Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice imposed the ban due to “religious considerations.” All chess-related activities in the country have been suspended indefinitely, and the Afghan National Chess Federation has been dissolved.
"Chess in sharia (Islamic law) is considered a form of gambling. There are religious considerations regarding the sport of chess. Until these are resolved, the sport of chess is suspended in Afghanistan," said Atta Mashwani, a representative of the country’s sports department, as quoted by the publication.
In recent years, the Taliban have restricted a number of sports events, and women's participation in sports has been virtually banned. Last year, professional wrestling, including mixed martial arts (MMA), was also prohibited as being “too violent” and “incompatible with Sharia law.”
Former FIDE President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov stated on social media that he has drafted an appeal to the Taliban leadership requesting a review of this decision.
It’s noted that chess was previously banned in Afghanistan after the Taliban first came to power in 1996, but became popular again after the regime change in 2001. At the 2018 Chess Olympiad in Batumi, the Afghan national team won in Group D.
