Sara Khadem moves to Spain, after not wearing a hijab
Iranian top chess player Sara Khadem took part in the World Rapid Chess Championship in Almaty, Kazakhstan. On December 28, she played without a mandatory hijab. You can read it here:
While the chess world was wondering why she chose not to wear a hijab, Sara Khadem had already gone into exile and moved to Spain. She now cannot return to Iran as they issued an arrest warrant against her. Sara Khadem moved to Spain in January and lives there with her husband and one-year-old son. For security reasons, she had asked the media not to reveal her exact location.
Meanwhile, Sara Khadem met with the Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez in Madrid. In a footage and pictures provided by his office, she is wearing a black suit without a hijab. Later, they played a chess game.
Pedro Sanchez felt inspired after his meeting with Sara Khadem: “How much I have learnt today from a woman who inspires me.” Through his Twitter, he added: “All my support to women athletes. Your example contributes to a better world.”
Sara Khadem also thanked for a warm welcome since her arrival:
In a recent interview with the newspaper El País, she shared her story for the first time. “With the hijab, I’m not me, I don’t feel good, and so I wanted to put an end to that situation,” she said. “So I decided not to wear it anymore.”
She is not the first Iranian chess player to move away from Iran. Current top junior Alireza Firouzja settled in France at the end of 2019 because of Iran’s boycott of Israel. It forced many top Iranian players to forfeit games when paired against Israelis.
We wish Sara Khadem good luck in Spain. Stay tuned for more news!
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