Indian chess star Soumya Swaminathan will miss the Asian Nations Cup Chess Championship 2018 in Iran next month because the country’s compulsory headscarf rule violates her personal rights, she claimed in a Facebook post. 

“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,” wrote Soumya on her Facebook page, adding that was disappointed to see that players’ rights and welfare were not being taken into account by organizers.

Since the Islamic Revolution in 1979, Iranian law dictates that women must wear a headscarf in public. The only parts of a woman’s body that can be exposed in public are the face, hands and feet. 

Though athletes often make adjustments for the sake of the sport, Soumya stated that “there is no place for an enforceable religious dress code in sports.” 

“While we sportspersons are willing to make several adjustments for the sake of our sport, always giving it top priority in our life, some things simply cannot be compromised.” 

It is not the first time an athlete has pulled out of a competition due to mandatory dress for women. In 2016, top Indian shooter Heena Sidhu withdrew from the Asian Airgun Shooting Championships in Iran for the same reason.