PUNE: Woman Grandmaster and previous international junior ladies’ champion Soumya Swaminathan has pulled out of the Asian Team Chess Championship, to be held in Hamadan, Iran, from July 26 to August 4, calling the Islamic country’s “compulsory headband” rule violative of her private rights.
“I do not wish to be compelled to wear a headband or burqa. I find the Iranian legislation of compulsory headband to be in direct violation of my elementary human rights, including my proper to freedom of expression and proper to freedom of thought, sense of right and wrong and faith. It turns out that underneath the present cases, the one method for me to offer protection to my rights is to not go to Iran,” the 29-year-old, who is India No. 5 and international No. 97 amongst ladies, posted on her Facebook account.
Earlier, in 2016, best Indian shooter Heena Sidhu had withdrawn from the Asian Airgun meet in Iran citing the similar explanation why.
‘No position for an enforceable religious get dressed code in sports’
Soumya said that once she first gave the nod to be a part of the Indian group, the host country used to be to be Bangladesh and the dates have been different. “But once the new dates and new venue got here up, I excused myself,” she added. When asked if the All India Chess Federation (AICF) must have protested towards the verdict to allot the tournament to Iran, Pune woman Soumya advised TOI: “I will’t be expecting everyone to be of the similar opinion as me. It’s subjective issue.”
However, in her Facebook message, Soumya blasted the officialdom. “I'm very disillusioned to see that player’s rights and welfare are given little importance while allotting and/or setting up respectable championships,” she wrote.
“I perceive the organi-D Harika and Padmini Rout competed in that match.
Among different chess avid gamers, Ukraine’s Muzhychuk sisters, Anna and Mariya, have been vocal about human rights and gender equality and have refused to play premier tournaments in Saudi Arabia. The champion group from the Iran match will qualify for the World Team Chess Championship. Iran is also scheduled to host the open Asian Team championship similtaneously.
Bharat Singh Chauhan, All India Chess Federation honorary secretary, did not respond to requests for comment.
Soumya’s Facebook put up received masses of feedback, majority of them appreciating her brave stance.
The details of ultimate individuals within the five-member ladies’s group are sketchy.
American chess player Nazi Paikidze additionally refused to play the knockout World Championship in Tehran, Iran, remaining 12 months over the similar issue.
“I do not wish to be compelled to wear a headband or burqa. I find the Iranian legislation of compulsory headband to be in direct violation of my elementary human rights, including my proper to freedom of expression and proper to freedom of thought, sense of right and wrong and faith. It turns out that underneath the present cases, the one method for me to offer protection to my rights is to not go to Iran,” the 29-year-old, who is India No. 5 and international No. 97 amongst ladies, posted on her Facebook account.
Earlier, in 2016, best Indian shooter Heena Sidhu had withdrawn from the Asian Airgun meet in Iran citing the similar explanation why.
‘No position for an enforceable religious get dressed code in sports’
Soumya said that once she first gave the nod to be a part of the Indian group, the host country used to be to be Bangladesh and the dates have been different. “But once the new dates and new venue got here up, I excused myself,” she added. When asked if the All India Chess Federation (AICF) must have protested towards the verdict to allot the tournament to Iran, Pune woman Soumya advised TOI: “I will’t be expecting everyone to be of the similar opinion as me. It’s subjective issue.”
However, in her Facebook message, Soumya blasted the officialdom. “I'm very disillusioned to see that player’s rights and welfare are given little importance while allotting and/or setting up respectable championships,” she wrote.
“I perceive the organi-D Harika and Padmini Rout competed in that match.
Among different chess avid gamers, Ukraine’s Muzhychuk sisters, Anna and Mariya, have been vocal about human rights and gender equality and have refused to play premier tournaments in Saudi Arabia. The champion group from the Iran match will qualify for the World Team Chess Championship. Iran is also scheduled to host the open Asian Team championship similtaneously.
Bharat Singh Chauhan, All India Chess Federation honorary secretary, did not respond to requests for comment.
Soumya’s Facebook put up received masses of feedback, majority of them appreciating her brave stance.
The details of ultimate individuals within the five-member ladies’s group are sketchy.
American chess player Nazi Paikidze additionally refused to play the knockout World Championship in Tehran, Iran, remaining 12 months over the similar issue.
Soumya pulls out of Iran event over headscarf rule
![Soumya pulls out of Iran event over headscarf rule]()
Reviewed by Kailash
on
June 13, 2018
Rating:
