CNN- Three years after escaping from Iran, chess referee Shohreh Bayat is concerned about facing further isolation after challenging the governing body of the game and its president, who is the former deputy prime minister of Russia, regarding her choice of clothing at a tournament in October. In 2020, Bayat faced criticism in Iran for not wearing the appropriate headscarf during the Women’s World Chess Championship in China and Russia. She refused to give in to pressure from the regime and as a result, has not returned home out of fear of punishment. During the recent Fischer Random World Chess Championship in Reykjavik, Iceland, Bayat wore clothes in support of the Iranian protests and the people of Ukraine, which further angered the International Chess Federation (FIDE) and its president. Bayat, who currently resides in London with her husband, officiated at the tournament but faced difficulties due to the ongoing protests in Iran following the death of Mahsa Amini. A 22-year-old Kurdish-Iranian woman who died after being detained by the country’s morality police for not abiding by the conservative dress code. Bayat wore a t-shirt with the motto “WomanLifeFreedom” to show her support for women’s rights in Iran. However, she was asked by a FIDE official to not wear it again. Frustrated by the request, Bayat wore the t-shirt again the following day but was told this time by FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich to take it off. Dvorkovich messaged Bayat on WhatsApp to request that she not use official FIDE events for political purposes. Bayat responded and informed him that she would not wear the t-shirt the next day but believed that she hadn’t violated any rule and that Dvorkovich was the one breaking FIDE’s rules by forbidding her to stand up for women’s rights in Iran. Bayat later wore a blue and yellow outfit to support the Ukrainian people and in memory of the victims of the Ukrainian plane crash in Iran in 2020. Since the tournament, Bayat claims she hasn’t been invited to another FIDE event and was removed from the arbiter commission. She believes that Dvorkovich is not accepting criticism of Iran due to Russia’s links with the country. Despite this, FIDE denies any political motive behind Dvorkovich’s actions and maintains that officials must follow political neutrality while on duty. Bayat’s activism has garnered support from prominent figures in the chess world, and she appreciates the backing she has received for doing what she believes is right.