The Taliban government has added chess to a list of banned activities, classifying it as gambling and a violation of moral values, the Afghan Sports Authority said today.
Chess is considered a "means of betting," which is prohibited by the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice Act, passed last year, Sports Authority spokesman Atal Mashwani told AFP.
Since these are religious issues, the chess will be suspended in Afghanistan until these issues are resolved, Mashwani added, without specifying the penalties for the violation.
Azizulah Gulzada (46), the owner of a Kabul cafe where customers have so far enjoyed the game, said he would enforce the ban, but that religious arguments did not convince him of the correctness of the decision.
"Many Muslim countries have international-level players who participate in international competitions. Many young people used to come here every day, without any money to bet," he said.
Gulzada expressed regret that people will have fewer excuses to gather and added that there are passionate chess players who will likely be unhappy with the decision.
After returning to power in 2021, the Taliban gradually imposed their ultra-rigorous vision of Islam, banning certain activities and sports.
The Taliban banned MMA (mixed martial arts) competitions last year, saying they were "too violent and problematic in terms of Sharia law," while cricket is still widely practiced, but only among men.
The Taliban gradually ostracized women from social life, banning them from parks, gyms, beauty salons and universities, prompting the United Nations (UN) to condemn such "gender apartheid."
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