IMAGE : Iranian chess player Sara Kadem at the FIDE tournament. Photo: Lennart Ootes/FIDE
Iranian chess player Sara Kadem was reportedly “warned not to return to Iran” after playing without a hijab at the FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Chess Championships in Almaty, Kazakhstan last week. I was. Sydney Morning Herald (SMH).
The 25-year-old arrived in Spain on Tuesday and a source close to her told her not to return to Iran to compete without a hijab, a headscarf required under Iran’s strict dress code. I have received a warning.
Kadem received several calls after the tournament warning him not to go home after the tournament, according to a source who did not want to be named because of the sensitivity of the matter, SMH reported.
The sources also said Kadem’s relatives and parents in Iran had also been threatened, but did not provide further details.
However, Iran’s foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the matter.
the phone was connected to the organizer
Four bodyguards were posted outside Kadem’s hotel room as a result of the decision to enlist the help of the Kazakh police to ensure security, the sources said.
Khadem is the latest athlete to compete without a hijab since anti-government protests began in September.
Born in 1997, the chess player is currently ranked 10th in Iran among active players worldwide (804th overall), according to the International Chess Federation.
Protests in Iran were sparked by the death of 22-year-old Masa Amini after being detained by police.
Women play a key role by removing or sometimes burning their headscarves, but protesters are revitalized as they see it showing support from Iranian athletes, both women and men. reported SMH.
Earlier, Iranian climber Ernaz Rekhabi entered a competition in South Korea in early October without wearing the required hijab, later explaining that it fell out inadvertently. It is not clear whether they were forced to do so.
Iran’s Deputy Sports Minister Maryam Kazemipour said in a statement that athletes who violated Islamic principles have since “regretted” their actions and are “seeking an opportunity to make amends,” according to CNN.
