KABUL: Taliban authorities have barred chess across Afghanistan until further notice over concerns it is a source of gambling, which is illegal under the government鈥檚 morality law, a sports official said on Sunday.
The Taliban government has steadily imposed laws and regulations that reflect its austere vision of Islamic law since seizing power in 2021.
鈥淐hess in sharia (Islamic law) is considered a means of gambling,鈥� which is prohibited according to the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice law announced last year, sports directorate spokesperson Atal Mashwani told AFP.
鈥淭here are religious considerations regarding the sport of chess,鈥� he said.
鈥淯ntil these considerations are addressed, the sport of chess is suspended in Afghanistan,鈥� he added.
Mashwani said the national chess federation had not held any official events for around two years and 鈥渉ad some issues on the leadership level.鈥�
Azizullah Gulzada owns a cafe in Kabul that has hosted informal chess competitions in recent years, but denied any gambling took place and noted chess was played in other Muslim-majority countries.
鈥淢any other Islamic countries have players on an international level,鈥� he told AFP.
He said he would respect the suspension but that it would hurt his business and those who enjoyed the game.
鈥淵oung people don鈥檛 have a lot of activities these days, so many came here everyday,鈥� he told AFP.
鈥淭hey would have a cup of tea and challenge their friends to a game of chess.鈥�
Afghanistan鈥檚 authorities have restricted other sports in recent years and women have been essentially barred from participating in sport altogether in the country.
Last year, the authorities banned free fighting such as mixed martial arts (MMA) in professional competition, saying it was too 鈥渧iolent鈥� and 鈥減roblematic with respect to sharia.鈥�