An Iranian chess champion competed without the mandatory hijab at the World Cup in rapid games this week in Kazakhstan, to which her country’s chess federation reacted on Wednesday by saying she was not representing the Islamic Republic.
Source: AFP
Sara Khademalsharieha 25-year-old Iranian grandmaster, appeared without a veil during that world championship organized by the International Chess Federation (FIDE), a gesture considered a show of support for the protests that have shaken Iran for more than three months, since the death of the young woman Mahsa Amini.
Amini, 22, died on September 16 after being detained by Tehran’s morality police for allegedly failing to conform to Iran’s strict mandatory female dress code, which includes wearing the hijab in public.
“This chess player participated on her own” at the tournament, declared the head of the Iranian chess federation, Hassan Tamini, quoted by the Fars agency.
“Khademalsharieh did not participate in those competitions through the federation, but went independently and did this action“he insisted.
female athletes are obliged to comply with the dress code also abroad when they represent their country at international events, but some have recently appeared in competitions without covering their heads.
Last October, the climber Elnaz Rekabi she only wore a headband during an event at the Asian Championships in Seoul.
Upon her return, she was received as a hero by dozens of people who came to the Imam Khomeini airport in Tehran.
The athlete later apologized for the incident and insisted that her veil had accidentally slipped off her, in comments to state media.
“We didn’t expect that player to do that because she had participated in previous competitions according to the rules,” Tamini said, referring to Khademalsharieh.
The sport has become sensitive ground during the protests, with several prominent female athletes showing their support for the protesters, as did male footballers.
