Taliban bans chess in Afghanistan, cites gambling concerns
What's the story
Afghanistan's Taliban government has announced an indefinite ban on chess, saying the game promotes gambling. The announcement was made by Atal Mashwani, spokesperson of the Taliban government's sports directorate. He said chess in Islamic sharia law is "considered a means of gambling, which is prohibited according to the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice law announced last year." Women's participation in sports has already been restricted since the Taliban's return to power in August 2021.
Religious concerns
Taliban's interpretation of chess under Islamic law
Mashwani went on to elaborate about "religious considerations regarding the sport of chess." He said such issues need to be addressed before the game can return to Afghanistan. The chess ban is not an isolated case but one of the many restrictions imposed by the Taliban after they reclaimed power. The laws are an expression of their strict interpretation of Islamic law and have severely curtailed women's rights and freedoms in sports and other areas.
Impact
Local reactions to the chess ban
The chess ban has drawn at least one local's disappointment. A Kabul cafe owner, Azizullah Gulzada, who used to hold informal chess tournaments at his cafe, told BBC he was disappointed with the decision. It would hurt his business as well, he said, since many youngsters visited his cafe to have a cup of tea and challenge friends to games of chess. Gulzada also pointed out that other Muslim-majority countries played chess.
Sports restrictions
Previous bans on sports in Afghanistan
Last year in August, authorities had also banned mixed martial arts (MMA) competitions for their perceived violence and incompatibility with sharia law. A Taliban spokesperson had said that "the sport is problematic with respect to Sharia and it has many aspects which are contradictory to the teachings of Islam." It effectively outlawed MMA in 2021 when legislation prohibiting "face-punching" was introduced.