An interview with Shohreh Bayat

[Paul Cooksey]

I saw the World Cup protests a bit differently. I am sure FIFA was very uncomfortable, but lines the teams would not cross were de facto agreed.

[Mick Norris]

I think this is a genuinely difficult area. I agree with Shohreh Bayat. So my first thought is to support her in a cause in which she honestly believes and with which I agree. However, I then have to pause and consider what precedent this creates. If, for example, a FIDE arbiter honestly believes that Donald Trump lost the last US election through skulduggery, should he or she be allowed to officiate while wearing a t-shirt with that message?

I don't know why it would be seen as difficult, really, but then again I don't know what the right thinks about anything

It seems simple to me, Shohreh was within her rights, and we should support what she is saying rather than trying to find examples of other things we wouldn't support; we shouldn't be agreeing with the Russian

[Paul Heaton]

I saw the World Cup protests a bit differently. I am sure FIFA was very uncomfortable, but lines the teams would not cross were de facto agreed.

Quite. They were also a) in some way connected to the tournament and b) done by the players, not the referees.

The whole episode/discussion reminds me of David Norwood’s comment on the lack of sartorial standards in chess and ignorance of its financial consequences.

[Matt Bridgeman]

I saw the World Cup protests a bit differently. I am sure FIFA was very uncomfortable, but lines the teams would not cross were de facto agreed.

Quite. They were also a) in some way connected to the tournament and b) done by the players, not the referees.

The whole episode/discussion reminds me of David Norwood’s comment on the lack of sartorial standards in chess and ignorance of its financial consequences.

Without labouring the point, the Black Lives Matters football protests of 2020, had both players and officials taking a knee, wearing supportive messages on clothing, totally contrary to FIFA political statements policy. But then FIFA came out in support anyway.

[Paul Cooksey]

#BLM a bit different, agreed. But a movement that worked with and changed the establishment rather than one that fought it, at least by the time it came to soccer. In my opinion anyway, Wilf Zaha would say something different.

[Roger Lancaster]

I think this is a genuinely difficult area. I agree with Shohreh Bayat. So my first thought is to support her in a cause in which she honestly believes and with which I agree. However, I then have to pause and consider what precedent this creates. If, for example, a FIDE arbiter honestly believes that Donald Trump lost the last US election through skulduggery, should he or she be allowed to officiate while wearing a t-shirt with that message?

I don't know why it would be seen as difficult, really, but then again I don't know what the right thinks about anything

It seems simple to me, Shohreh was within her rights, and we should support what she is saying rather than trying to find examples of other things we wouldn't support; we shouldn't be agreeing with the Russian

Shohreh was within her rights (and, at personal level, I sympathise with her) in exactly the same way, as I pointed out earlier, as a Trump supporter wearing a t-shirt with a rather different message. Do I really have to spell out why that creates difficulties?

[Carl Hibbard]

A comment I considered offensive was removed.

[Matt Bridgeman]

It was interesting listening to Mr Dodgy’s comments during the ECF Ukraine Crisis Appeal 24-hour Chess Marathon. Fairly effectively highlighting how obvious it is that globe-trotting Arkady Dvorkovich is effectively operating as an agent of the Russian state. It kind of puts all this talk about three words on tee-shirt in the shade.

[LawrenceCooper]

It was interesting listening to Mr Dodgy’s comments during the ECF Ukraine Crisis Appeal 24-hour Chess Marathon. Fairly effectively highlighting how obvious it is that globe-trotting Arkady Dvorkovich is effectively operating as an agent of the Russian state. It kind of puts all this talk about three words on tee-shirt in the shade.

I heard his comments at the Women's Grand Prix (when joining Keti on the commentary) highlighting players playing with the FIDE flag belonging to the Russian Chess Federation. Whilst true I would rather he didn't promote his federation in the current climate.