Chess completely banned in Afghanistan

Kabul: The Taliban government has imposed a complete ban on the game of chess across Afghanistan, which it has described as gambling under Islamic law.

An Afghan government spokesman says chess has objectionable aspects from Islamic law, which will be suspended until they are removed.

Atal Mashwani, a spokesman for the Afghan Sports Directorate, told AFP that according to Islamic law, chess is considered a form of gambling, which is prohibited under our moral code.

He added that Afghanistan’s national chess federation has been inactive for the past two years and is suffering from leadership problems.

Azizullah Gulzada, the owner of a local cafe in Kabul who used to organize chess competitions, expressed disappointment at the decision, saying that young people today have few opportunities to engage in activities. Chess was a source of mental entertainment for them, but now it has also been closed.

Since the Taliban’s return, women have been banned from all sports in Afghanistan, and now men’s sports have also come under attack.

The Taliban government had previously banned mixed martial arts (MMA), declaring it unscriptural and violent.

In 2021, the Taliban banned face-punching sports, which made MMA and other sports automatically illegal.