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KABUL: In a significant move, the Taliban have banned chess in Afghanistan until further notice over concerns of gambling and leadership disputes in the federation.
The Minister for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice made the announcement. Following the decision, the Afghanistan Chess Federation will be dissolved, and all chess-related activities will be suspended indefinitely.
Taliban’s sports directorate spokesperson Atal Mashwani confirmed the ban to TOLOnews, citing leadership issues and religious concerns.
“Chess in sharia (Islamic law) is considered a means of gambling,” which is prohibited according to the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice law announced last year,” said Atal Mashwani.
“Until further religious evaluations are completed and leadership disputes within the federation are resolved, a decision will be made regarding the resumption of chess under the oversight of the Sports Directorate, ” he added.
The ban demonstrates a trend of restrictions on various sports in Afghanistan under Taliban rule.
Last year, the authorities banned free fighting, such as mixed martial arts (MMA), in professional competition over religious concerns.
For the unversed, since regaining control of Afghanistan in August 2021, the Taliban has imposed increasingly restrictive laws aimed at enforcing its austere interpretation of Islamic values.
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