The world’s top female chess players have reportedly been told they must wear hijabs if they wish to compete in next year’s world championships.
The next Women’s Chess World Championships are due to be held in Tehran, Iran in March 2017.
Several Grandmasters have threatened to boycott the tournament if female players are forced to conform to the country’s strict clothing laws.
If a woman is caught without a headscarf by the country’s notorious “morality police” she could face arrest or a fine.
Chess’ governing body, FIDE (Fédération Internationale des Échecs), has been highly criticised for its decision to host the tournament in Iran and accused of failing to stand up for women’s rights.
2017 Women's Wrld Ch. awarded to Iran. Women forced to wear the Islamic hijab, flouting FIDE statutes against sex & religious discrimination
— Nigel Short (@nigelshortchess) September 27, 2016
Agree @nigelshortchess . No women should be forced to wear a hijab and no women should be force to take out one.
— Carla Heredia (@HerediaCarla) September 27, 2016
US Women’s Champion Nazi Paikidze said she will “have to miss her first Women’s World Championship for many reasons” and tweeted a link to the US State Department’s warning about American citizens still being at heightened risk of arrest.