The Taliban has suspended Afghans from enjoying a game of chess over concerns that the game might be incompatible with Islamic law and encourage gambling, international media reported this week.
The suspension was announced by the Taliban’s Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, which followed the dissolution of the Afghanistan Chess Federation.
Atal Mashwani, spokesman for the Taliban’s sports directorate, said on Sunday, according to the Telegraph, “There are religious considerations regarding chess, and it is prohibited in the propagation of virtue.
“Until these are addressed, the sport is suspended.”
One key concern is that the game could encourage gambling, which is prohibited in Islam. Despite this, many Islamic countries have not banned the game.
“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.”
Taliban bans in Afghanistan
This is the second time the Islamist terror group has suspended the game in Afghanistan, as it was banned under the previous Taliban rule.
Azizullah Gulzada, a cafe owner in Kabul who hosted local chess tournaments, told Agence France-Presse that chess is just the latest recreational activity Afghans will be deprived of.
“Young people don’t have a lot of activities these days, so many came here,” he said. “They would have a cup of tea and challenge their friends to a game of chess.”
Last year, the Taliban banned Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) after claiming it was "problematic with respect to sharia."
"It was found that the sport is problematic with respect to Sharia and it has many aspects which are contradictory to the teachings of Islam," a Taliban spokesperson said last August.