Kolkata: Does your attire, unless and until, it is highly objectionable, determine your fate in the national team? Well, for Iran, which itself is facing sanctions from the United States for showing over exuberance in its missile programme, it does. Sorry, Dorsa Derakshani, you hail from a nation which is hard- core conservative and where restrictions on human freedom are rampant.
Yes, Dorsa, the officials of your chess federation have no respect for your freedom of choice and as a result, you have had to pay a heavy price. Dorsa (18), an Iranian Grand Master was dropped from the national side because she refused to wear the hijab in the Tradewise Gibraltar Chess Festival. According to media reports, Dorsa wore a ‘simple headband’ that did not go down well with the authorities and she was dumped, to say the least.
The staunch conservative laws in the country state that Iranian women are supposed to wear the hijab in public after the historic Islamic Revolution in 1979, which saw the usurping of the Pahlavi dynasty and established the rule of the Islamic Republic under the Grand Ayatollah Ruholah Khomeini. They are also supposed to wear the hijab abroad, if they are there on an official trip.
And Dorsa was not the only one. Her brother Borna (15) too was expelled from the team due to the weirdest of reasons. He was eager to play against an Israeli opponent. Incidentally, Israel is not recognised by Iran as a country and it doesn’t face Israel in any international sporting event.
“As a first step, these two will be denied entry to all tournaments taking place in Iran,” said Mehrdad Pahlevanzadeh, the head of the Iranian Chess Federation, when speaking to the Fars news agency. And he added, “And, in the name of Iran, they will no longer be allowed the opportunity to be present on the national team.”
Can you imagine, a girl who has done the country proud by achieving the GM status is deprived of her due all because the country’s rulers have imposed stringent rules that encroach upon human freedom? And the game doesn’t end here. If you are a woman and playing in a tournament on the Iranian soil, it is compulsory for you to wear the hijab. As a result many renowned sports persons like US chess champion Nazi Paikidze and former world champion, Maria Muzychuk from Ukraine opted out of a tournament that was slated to be held in Iran.
Well, Dorsa has found support on the social media, but deep down she knows all the protests against the decision are going to fall on deaf ears because a rule is a rule. It’s tragic, to be candid enough.
On one hand, wearing a hijab lands you in trouble in countries like United States, Australia and others. In recent times, there have been incidents when hijab clad women had to face humiliation. On the other hand, you are penalised for discarding the attire. Isn’t it a Catch-22 situation?
(With inputs from The Express Tribune)