...the Pashtun equivalent of men...authorities have barred chess across Afghanistan until further notice over concerns it is a source of gambling,
| …chess??? |
| Wasn’t chess invented in ancient Persia? I guess to the Taliban that taints it as a Shiite vice — and you know what they are like, dear Reader. |
| An austere vision very little affected by any actual knowledge of Quran and Hadith whatsoever, it has been reported. Which would explain where they got this harebrained notion. |
"There are religious considerations regarding the sport of chess," he said.
"Until these considerations are addressed, the sport of chess is suspended in Afghanistan," he added.
Mashwani said the national chess federation had not held any official events for around two years and "had some issues on the leadership level".
Azizullah Gulzada owns a cafe in Kabul that has hosted informal chess competitions in recent years, but denied any gambling took place and noted chess was played in other Moslem-majority countries.
"Many other Islamic countries have players on an international level," he told AFP.
He said he would respect the suspension but that it would hurt his business and those who enjoyed the game.
"Young people don't have a lot of activities these days, so many came here everyday," he told AFP.
"They would have a cup of tea and challenge their friends to a game of chess."
Afghanistan's authorities have restricted other sports in recent years and women have been essentially barred from participating in sport altogether in the country.
Last year, the authorities banned free fighting such as mixed martial arts (MMA) in professional competition, saying it was too "