The current U.S. Women’s chess champion has said she’d rather sacrifice her career than wear a hijab at the 2017 World Championship which is being held in Iran.
Nazi Paikidze is one of America’s top chess players but has sworn to boycott the competition in Iran to protest the country’s ‘oppressive’ Islamic dress code.
Women taking part in the contest have been told they must wear traditional Islamic garb while competing but Paikidze believes that doing the bidding of an oppressive regime in order to play is a step too far.
In an interview with the founder of My Stealthy Freedom, a group who campaign for a woman’s right to choose whether she wears the hijab Paikidze explained her decision.
Paikidze said:
I will NOT wear a hijab and support women’s oppression. Even if it means missing one of the most important competitions of my career.
A spokesperson for the women’s committee of the international chess governing body, Susan Polgar, had reportedly told players to respect ‘cultural differences’ and to wear the hijab, which allegedly led to a fraught exchange on Twitter with Paikidze.
Ms Polgar however disputes this, clarifying that she actually said that if any player has a problem with the hijab, then they can and should voice their opinion to the Commission for Women’s Chess or FIDE where it will be addressed.
More of a concept than a journalist, Tom Percival was forged in the bowels of Salford University from which he emerged grasping a Masters in journalism.
Since then his rise has been described by himself as ‘meteoric’ rising to the esteemed rank of Social Editor at UNILAD as well as working at the BBC, Manchester Evening News, and ITV.
He credits his success to three core techniques, name repetition, personality mirroring, and never breaking off a handshake.