Three of the four Afghan players who competed at the 46th FIDE Chess Olympiad in Samarkand were reportedly detained at the Uzbekistan-Afghanistan border on their way home, according to Spanish newspaper El País.
The report says the three are being held under house arrest in Kabul and could face physical punishment. The fourth player returned home without facing action. Their participation came despite the Taliban government's ban on chess on religious grounds.
According to the report, FIDE has begun seeking diplomatic assistance. The European Parliament's Socialists and Democrats group is also calling for a parliamentary debate, following an initiative by Spanish MEP Ignacio Sánchez Amor. Further details and official statements are awaited.
