Iranian IM Plays Without Hijab At World Championships, Defects To Spain

Sarasadat Khademalsharieh (Sara Khadem), who defied the Iranian dress code for women by refusing to wear a headscarf at the 2022 FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Championships, will not be returning home after her last tournament of the year. With her husband, film director Ardeshir Ahmadi, and the couple’s young child, she will move to an undisclosed city in Spain. At this time, she has made no public statement although two sources close to her confirmed this news to El Pais, a Spanish newspaper.