Prospect of wearing hijab at Iran world championship leaves players fuming

Players risk arrest if they do not wear the hijab

Some of the world's top female chess players have been left fuming after learning that they'd have to don the hijab at the next world championship in Iran.

The announcement was made by the World Chess Federation (FIDE). The federation said players would risk arrest if they did not comply by wearing the hijab.



Following the announcement, US women's champion Nazi Paikidze-Barnes decided not to take part in the event in Tehran next year. Speaking to CNN, Paikidze-Barnes said, "Iran has hosted chess tournaments before and women were always forced to wear a hijab…We don't see this event being any different, forced hijab is the country's law." “This is religious and sexist discrimination” she said.

Expressing disappointment over the venue she added, "If the venue of the championship is not changed, I will not be participating. I am deeply upset by this. I feel privileged to have qualified to represent the US at the Women's World Chess Championship and to not be able to due to religious, sexist, and political issues is very disappointing," she went on to say.



Former Pan American champion Carla Heredia, who did not qualify for the Tehran tournament, also called for the 64 women participants to protest against the hijab rule.

Chairman of FIDE's Commission for Women's Chess Susan Polger has not received any complaints from players on the matter so far. However, she said, if the commission receives complaints they will handle them "professionally and diplomatically."

This article originally appeared on CNN