The Taliban government in Afghanistan has banned chess with immediate effect. According to the authorities, the game is considered a form of gambling and is therefore considered contrary to Islamic Sharia law.
Chess is the latest sport to be banned or severely restricted by the Taliban. Since taking power in August 2021, the Taliban regime has gradually introduced laws reflecting its strict interpretation of Sharia, which means, among other things, that women are now effectively banned from participating in all organized sports.
In a statement on Sunday, Atal Mashwani, spokesperson for the Taliban government’s sports directorate, said that under Islamic sharia, chess is “considered a means of gambling“.
– There are religious considerations regarding the sport of chess. Until these considerations are addressed, the sport of chess is suspended in Afghanistan, he told AFP news agency.
A Kabul cafe owner who has organized informal chess competitions in recent years said he respected the decision but said it would hurt his business.
– Young people don’t have a lot of activities these days, so many came here everyday. They would have a cup of tea and challenge their friends to a game of chess, said Azizullah Gulzada.
He also pointed out that chess is widely played in many other Muslim countries, without any ban having been discussed.
Previous bans on martial arts
Last year, the Taliban banned mixed martial arts (MMA) in professional settings, citing the sport as too “violent” and “problematic with respect to sharia“.
– It turned out that the sport is problematic under Sharia and contains many aspects that contradict the teachings of Islam, a Taliban spokesperson said last August.
MMA competitions were effectively banned as early as 2021, when the Taliban introduced legislation banning “face-punching“.
