Iranian chess referee Shohreh Bayat was kicked off from a commission amid a feud with the game's global body, she said. As she wore a "Women, Life, Freedom" T-shirt at a prestigious tournament in October in support of the protests that began in Iran following the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, a feud began between the referee and the game's body.
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Shohreh Bayat said a gesture of solidarity has caused the feud.
"I don't think it's normal to stay quiet about this," Shohreh Bayat told Reuters as she joined a string of sports figures to express solidarity with Iran's anti-government demonstrators.
"This is a big human rights matter. I think if we stay quiet about these things, we cannot forgive ourselves," she said.
Earlier, Shohreh Bayat was accused by Iran of violating hijab rules at a tournament in 2020, the International Chess Federation (FIDE) said. The federation said it respected Shohreh Bayat's political activities and views but that she "disregarded direct instructions given to her to stop wearing slogans or mottos."
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{{/usCountry}}"No matter how noble or uncontroversial the cause is, doing activism from that role is inappropriate and unprofessional," it said.
“My T-shirt was not political at all ... It's one of the most beautiful women's rights messages in the world,” Shohreh Bayat asserted.
Fearing for her safety, Shohreh Bayat has been living in London after photos of her at the 2020 tournament in Russia brought criticism in Iranian state media.
Shohreh Bayat was awarded the International Women of Courage Award by the United States in 2021 and has since advocated for Iranian women.
"When I can, when there is an opportunity, I have to raise the voice of Iranian people," she said.