12-05-2025
Taliban bans chess
The Taliban has banned Afghans from playing chess until it works out whether the game is compatible with Islamic law.
The decision, announced by the Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, follows the dissolution of the Afghanistan Chess Federation and places all chess-related activities on indefinite suspension.
Atal Mashwani, spokesman for the Taliban's sports directorate, said on Sunday: 'There are religious considerations regarding chess, and it is prohibited in the propagation of virtue.
'Until these are addressed, the sport is suspended.'
While the regime insists the ban is under review, no timeline has been given for a possible reinstatement.
'This is a suspension, not an outright ban, but it feels like the death of chess in Afghanistan,' a senior official from the now-defunct Afghanistan National Chess Federation (ANCF) told The Telegraph.
'Chess runs in the blood of Afghan society. You'll find it in homes, cafes and even village gatherings,' he added. 'Afghans love chess, we've won international medals, and the game is part of our cultural identity.'
Until the Taliban's scholars determine whether chess is halal (allowed), haram (prohibited) or perhaps Makrooh Tahreem (disliked), all chess events are suspended, the ANCF official said.
'In many Islamic countries, chess is not banned. This is more about interpretation than religion,' he added.
The official said that internal disputes had paralysed Afghanistan's chess federation well before the formal ban.
After the fall of Kabul to the Taliban in 2021, ANCF officials fled the country fearing they would be killed because they worked for the previous government.
In their absence, the Taliban appointed new leaders of the body, who were not approved by the international chess authorities.
Authorities still recognise the old body led by Ghulam Ali Malak Zad, who is thought to currently be in Germany or somewhere else in Europe. Local players believe Mr Zad is working in cahoots with international chess authorities and has not allowed the Taliban body to work.
'The federation has not functioned effectively for the past two years,' the official said. 'The issue lies both with religious objections and leadership problems.'
'The president of the federation fled abroad years ago but still interferes, which has caused chaos for players on the ground.'
'The tussle between the Taliban and international chess bodies has left Afghan players caught in the middle,' he said.
Chess was banned under previous Taliban rule between 1996 to 2001. In 1996, the Afghan Olympic team went to Armenia for the Yerevan Chess Olympiad and found they could not return.
The game has experienced a modest revival in the country in recent years, with players participating in international tournaments and grass-roots competitions gaining popularity in urban centres like Kabul. Informal games were often held in cafes and parks, offering rare moments of leisure in an increasingly repressive environment.
Azizullah Gulzada, a cafe owner in Kabul who hosted local chess tournaments, rejected claims that the game promoted gambling.
'Young people don't have a lot of activities these days, so many came here,' he told AFP. 'They would have a cup of tea and challenge their friends to a game of chess.'
Abdul Khaliq Wais, the ANCF's former vice president, said the country was at 'serious risk of losing chess entirely'.
'Without institutional support, it will vanish from Afghan society.'
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