A Muslim family representing England in the European Chess Championships taking place in Austria reported that they were victims of Islamophobia, racism and even a physical hate crime, the London-based Islamic Human Rights Council said. 13-year-old Yusuf Bin-Suhayl was attacked and left bleeding by the mother of a fellow English competitor, the report stated. The family have had a police escort to their hotel and tournament. Father Sohale Rahman has made numerous complaints to the English Chess Federation who is overseeing the competition but to no avail. “Throughout the competition the Rahman family who have three children representing England have been subjected to bullying and hate crime,” IHRC said in the statement. “Mother, Tomasina Contu, was spat on when she asked the father of one English competitor not to bully her son. It is of no coincidence that Tomasina wears a hijab,” IHRC said. The problems seem to have started from when the family asked for halal meals for themselves. Father Suhayl Rahman said, “I cannot believe my family has been subjected to so much racism and Islamophobia and the English Chess Federation has just stood by and done nothing."
