New Delhi/Bhubaneswar: Odisha chess star Padmini Rout responded with a neutral opinion Wednesday after Indian Grandmaster Soumya Swaminathan pulled out of Asian Team Chess Championships in Iran over the compulsory headscarf issue, Tuesday. The tournament is scheduled to be played, July 26-August 4.
Soumya had opted out of the tournament a day earlier. In Iran all women have to cover their head and Soumya had said that the rule invaded her personal freedom. She had also stated that she is not taking the step as a mark of protest against any religious belief, but doing so as ‘religion and sport cannot be mixed’
“I find the Iranian law of compulsory headscarf to be in direct violation of my basic human rights including my right to freedom of expression, and right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion. It seems that under the present circumstances, the only way for me to protect my rights is not to go to Iran. No sporting field should have space for religious instructions,” Soumya had said in a Facebook post.
Padmini, while stating in that every player is entitled to his/her opinion asserted that she never felt uncomfortable while playing tournaments in a couple of Iranian cities.
“A player has the right to decide whether to participate in a tournament or not. So it is her (Soumya’s) call and we can’t blame the organisers,” said Padmini.
“Each country has its own set of beliefs and rules. We can’t change them until their government wants (change). As players, we have to follow the organisers’ rules if we have to participate. They are also following their ideologies,” pointed out Padmini.
Elaborating she said, “I was participating in a tournament in Saudi Arabia there and it was mandatory that every female participant should wear burqa. However, the organisers made it optional. If they hadn’t done that, the participants would definitely wear burqas and those who were not comfortable, would have opted out of the tournament.”
“It is the player’s discretion whether she would play in a tournament or not. I have not felt uncomfortable while wearing a headscarf and playing”
Padmini Rout