RASC News Agency: The International Chess Federation (FIDE) has voiced grave concern and deep regret following the Taliban regime’s abrupt suspension of chess in Afghanistan a decision widely regarded as yet another blow to intellectual freedom and youth empowerment under the group’s draconian rule. In a statement released on Thursday, May 15, FIDE announced it is actively engaging with Taliban officials in an attempt to reverse the ban and reintegrate chess into the country’s social and educational fabric. “We are profoundly saddened by the decision to halt chess activities in Afghanistan,” FIDE stated. “Chess has long served as a gateway to critical thinking, discipline, and cultural connection. Its suspension not only curtails personal growth but also severs Afghanistani youth from meaningful global engagement.”
The federation underscored that chess has ancient and deep cultural roots in Afghanistan, where it has evolved over centuries into a prominent intellectual pursuit. In recent years, the sport experienced a marked resurgence, particularly among youth, many of whom found in it a rare platform for cognitive development and self-expression amid political instability. FIDE emphasized that chess is not merely a game, but a cognitive sport of international prestige, promoting values such as strategic reasoning, patience, fairness, and merit-based success traits sorely needed in a society reeling from authoritarian retrenchment and gender apartheid.
“Chess is one of the most intellectually enriching disciplines humanity has cultivated,” the statement noted. “Its suspension risks suffocating a generation of aspiring minds and eliminating the few remaining channels through which Afghanistani players can engage with the global community.” The Taliban regime, operating under a fundamentalist interpretation of religious codes, announced the ban earlier this month, claiming the decision was based on unspecified “religious concerns” and the directive of the Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice. Taliban spokesperson Atal Mashwani confirmed that all chess activities had been halted, and that the Afghan Chess Federation had been disbanded.
This move follows a widening campaign by the Taliban to dismantle cultural and intellectual institutions, particularly those that offer platforms for creativity, education, or free association further isolating Afghanistan from global norms and standards. In response, FIDE unequivocally rejected the Taliban’s classification of chess as a prohibited or immoral activity, drawing a clear distinction between chess and games of chance or gambling. The federation asserted that chess is based entirely on skill, preparation, and mental acuity completely unrelated to luck or monetary stakes. “To conflate chess with gambling is not only inaccurate but intellectually dishonest,” FIDE added. “This sport champions intellectual discipline and cognitive excellence. Denying its legitimacy under religious pretexts deprives the people of Afghanistan particularly its youth of vital avenues for personal and educational advancement.”
The organization expressed concern that the Taliban’s restrictions are not isolated but part of a larger pattern of cultural censorship and gender-based exclusion, particularly targeting institutions that promote inclusivity, critical thinking, or female participation. The ban on chess mirrors earlier decisions to bar girls from education, women from employment, and artists from expression moves that have been roundly condemned by the international community as regressive and repressive. FIDE reaffirmed its commitment to closely monitor the situation, and said it is continuing diplomatic efforts to negotiate with Taliban officials and other stakeholders to remove the barriers imposed on chess and allow Afghanistani players male and female to once again participate freely in national and international competitions.
“We will not abandon Afghanistani players to intellectual isolation,” FIDE declared. “Chess belongs to everyone. We remain committed to ensuring that Afghanistan’s rich history in this sport is not erased by authoritarian edicts, but revived through global solidarity and resistance to cultural erasure.” The Taliban’s decision is being seen not only as a direct assault on sporting freedoms, but as yet another calculated step in their broader campaign to suppress enlightenment, silence the mind, and entrench a narrow, coercive ideology. As international organizations rally to support Afghanistan’s beleaguered civil society, the question remains: will the world act in time to prevent the complete intellectual blackout of a nation once known for its vibrant cultural and scholarly contributions?
