Female chess players forced to wear hijab as governing body

[Gerard Blake]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/09/...imination/

[andyburnett]

I had hoped that one of our female players might have responded to this first, but last I heard the misogynist and sexist views of a certain poster here had pretty much put some of them off ever even looking at the forum again, let alone contributing.

Anyway, this decision to hold the event in Iran is typical of FIDE, but now it's up to the players who have qualified to do something about it. Refuse to play. Boycott the event and start a petition which ALL chessplayers can sign and present to FIDE stating that it is unacceptable to hold events in countries which discriminate and oppress in such ways.

[Andy Howie]

What didn't help was there was only a single bid for the event

[andyburnett]

What didn't help was there was only a single bid for the event

True, but they could have a) banned Iran from bidding, b) re-opened the bidding process or c) funded it themselves (Ok, that last one will never happen as they are short of money)

[HelenMilligan]

A situation where the players were let down by the delegates, I think. The bid should have been vetoed (on the grounds that not everyone can take part in that country). I'm not sure that a boycott will do any good - the way this thing is set up, if one Zonal qualifier refuses the place then it is offered to whoever came next in the Zonal, and so on downwards, so it's extremely unlikely there will be empty boards at the start. Protests are required!

As for the hijab issue - it's nonsense to say it's 'cultural' - it's a law that was put in place in 1979. Before that people didn't dress this way. It's awkward and uncomfortable and hot, and it's demeaning to have to dress up in all the gear while your colleagues are in tracksuits and t-shirts. It's even more demeaning to find they can't (legally) shake hands with you - though in an all-woman event that is not an issue, of course - I was playing in an Open event where I was the only female, and the only person who dared to shake hands with me was not an Iranian.

[Gerard Blake]

Calls for chess boycott over Iran's hijab laws

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-37560768

[HelenMilligan]

See also
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