Chess Grandmaster Lauded for Boycotting Iran Tournament Over Hijab

Soumya Swaminathan made the decision, saying the compulsory hijab impinged on her human rights.

Soumya Swaminathan pulled out of the Asian Nations Chess Championship starting in July. 

(Photo Courtesy: Facebook/Soumya Swaminathan)

Chess grandmaster and former junior world champion Soumya Swaminathan’s decision to pull out of the Asian Nations Chess Championship starting in July has been receiving plaudits on social media.

The 29-year-old chess player, on Saturday, 9 June, announced that she had excused herself from the upcoming chess tournament after she found out about the organisers’ rule that all female players would be required to wear a compulsory headscarf.

The tournament is scheduled to begin from 26 July and will go on till 4 July.

In a Facebook post explaining her decision, she said: “I find the Iranian law of compulsory Headscarf to be in direct violation of my basic Human Rights including my right to freedom of expression, and right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion. It seems that under the present circumstances, the only way for me to protect my rights is not to go to Iran.”

She added that “there is no place for an enforceable religious dress code in Sports.”

Iranian law dictates that women can only show their face, hands and feet in public and are supposed to wear only modest colours.

Speaking to PTI, she said “It was a personal decision and I have nothing more to add to it. I believe in all religions and follow their rules but you can't force it outside religious places”.

Praise on Social Media

Despite the media storm brought about by her bold decision, Swaminathan has stood firm. While many on social media criticised her for her call, she also received praise and applause from many.

The All India Chess Federation (AICF) has supported her decision and top officials have said that the body respects her personal choice, an IANS report said.

“It is her personal choice and decision. We do not have anything against it. We will find a replacement for her,” AICF Secretary Bharat Singh Chauhan told IANS on Wednesday, 13 June. He added that players were free to make their own decisions.

The chess body is not the only one standing by Swaminathan. Many on social media have applauded her for taking what must have been a difficult decision for her.

Journalists Barkha Dutt and Sagarika Ghose also tweeted in support of Swaminathan.

Swaminathan is not the first Indian athlete to excuse herself from a sports event in Iran because of the compulsory headscarf rule. In October 2016, Commonwealth Games gold medalist shooter Heena Sidhu had also decided against competing in Iran for the same reason.

(With inputs from PTI and IANS.)