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Shohreh Bayat

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Shohreh Bayat
شهره بیات
Bayat in 2016
Born1987 (age 36–37)
Rasht, Iran
OccupationChess referee
Years active2013–present
AwardsInternational Women of Courage Award (2021)

Shohreh Bayat (Persian: شهره بیات; born 1987) is an Iranian chess referee based in England. She was chief arbiter of the Women's World Chess Championship 2020. Bayat is an International Arbiter for FIDE. She was awarded a International Women of Courage Award in 2021.

Early life and education

Bayat was born in 1987 in Rasht, Iran.[1][2] Her Jewish paternal grandmother emigrated to Iran from Baku, Azerbaijan during World War II. They kept their Jewish ancestry hidden. She became the Iranian girls under-12 champion, in 1998. Bayat completed a master's degree in natural resources engineering.[2]

Career

At the age of 25, Bayat began a career as a chess referee with the FIDE. Bayat is the only Grade A arbiter from Asia and was a prominent figure in Iran's chess scene.[2] She served as the chief arbiter of the Women's World Chess Championship 2020 (WWCC). A photograph of Bayat at the WWCC with her hijab around her neck generated controversy in Iran which enforces a strict Islamic dress code.[3] The Chess Federation of Iran [fa] requested Bayat take a replacement picture wearing a hijab and issue an apology through social media. Bayat refused because she believes compulsory laws mandating wearing hijabs are misogynistic.[4] In September 2020, she received confirmation from FIDE that she could referee under the English flag.[2]

Awards and honors

Bayat was awarded a International Women of Courage Award in 2021 for being a champion for women’s rights and ignoring the Iranian government threats.[5]

Personal life

Bayat is married and has family in Iran.[6] In January 2020, she flew to the England to seek asylum. Bayat had previously received a British visa for a chess tournament in Gibraltar.[4] In London in 2020, she celebrated Rosh Hashanah for the first time.[2]

References

  1. ^ "Interview with General Secretary of the Iranian Chess Federation". Kenya Chess Masala. 2017-03-17. Retrieved 2021-02-28.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  2. ^ a b c d e Vasilyeva, Nataliya (2020-09-26). "'I couldn't tolerate it any longer': how Iranian chess referee with secret Jewish heritage was forced to live a 'fake' life". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 2020-09-26.
  3. ^ Rainsford, Sarah (2020-01-15). "Iran chess ref Shohreh Bayat fears returning home over hijab row". BBC News. Retrieved 2020-09-26.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  4. ^ a b Church, Ben (2020-04-14). "Iranian woman fears punishment after condemnation for not wearing the appropriate headscarf". CNN. Retrieved 2020-09-26.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  5. ^ "2021 International Women of Courage Award Recipients Announced". US Department of State. 4 March 2021. Retrieved 5 March 2021.Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  6. ^ Sherwood, Harriet (2020-02-23). "Iranian chess referee who fled to UK could face arrest if she returns". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2020-09-26.
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