Iranian woman climber Elnaz Rekabi competes without hijab amid protests
An Iranian female competitive climber left South Korea on Tuesday after competing at an event in which she climbed without her nation’s mandatory headscarf covering, authorities said.
Farsi-language media outside of Iran warned she may have been forced to leave early Iranian officials and could face arrest back home, which Tehran quickly denied.
The decision Elnaz Rekabi, a multiple medal in competitions, to forgo the headscarf, or hijab, came as protests sparked the September 16 death in custody of a 22-year-old woman have entered the fifth week. Mahsa Amini was detained the country’s morality police over her clothing.
The demonstrations, drawing school-age children, oil workers and others to the street, represent the most serious challenge to Iran’s theocracy since the mass protests surrounding its disputed 2009 presidential election.
Rekabi left Seoul on a Tuesday morning flight, the Iranian Embassy in South Korea said. The BBC‘s Persian service, which has extensive contacts within Iran despite being banned from operating there, quoted an unnamed “informed source” who described Iranian officials as seizing both Rekabi’s mobile phone and passport.
Ms. Elnaz REKABI, departed from Seoul to Iran, early morning of October 18, 2022, along with the other members of the Team.The Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in South Korea strongly denies all the fake, false news and disinformation regarding Ms. Elnaz REKABI. pic.twitter.com/053pFWs96m
— Iran embassy in Seoul (@IraninSKorea) October 18, 2022
BBC Persian also said she initially had been scheduled to return on Wednesday, but her flight apparently had been moved up unexpectedly.
IranWire, another website focusing on the country founded Iranian-Canadian journal Maziar Bahari who once was detained Iran, alleged that Rekabi would be immediately transferred to Tehran’s notorious Evin Prison after arriving in the country. Evin Prison was the site of a massive fire this weekend that killed at least eight prisoners.
In a tweet, the Iranian Embassy in Seoul denied “all the fake, false news and disinformation” regarding Rekabi’s departure on Tuesday. But instead of posting a photo of her from the Seoul competition, it posted an image of her wearing a headscarf at a previous competition in Moscow, where she also took a bronze medal.
Calls to the Iranian Embassy in Seoul were unanswered Tuesday.
A statement from the Iranian Embassy in Seoul says Elnaz Rekabi departed from Seoul to Iran this morning, and it denies “all the fake, false news.”
It comes amid reports she will be directly transferred to a prison from the airport after competing without a hijab. #ElnazRekabi pic.twitter.com/CbOxCEIspb
— Hyunsu Yim (@hyunsuinseoul) October 18, 2022
Rekabi didn’t put on a hijab during Sunday’s final at the International Federation of Sport Climbing’s Asia Championship, according to the Seoul-based Korea Alpine Federation, the organisers of the event.
Federation officials said Rekabi wore a hijab during her initial appearances at the one-week climbing event. Rekabi was a member of Iran’s 11-member delegation, which comprises eight athletes and three coaches, to the event, according to the federation.
Federation officials said they were not initially aware of Rekabi competing without the hijab but looked into the case after receiving inquires about her. They said the event doesn’t have any rules on requiring female athletes wearing or not wearing headscarves. However, Iranian women competing abroad under the Iranian flag always wear the hijab.
South Korea’s Justice Minry refused to confirm whether the Iranian athlete is still in South Korea or has left the country, citing privacy-related regulations. South Korea’s Foreign Minry said it has no comments on the issue.
Rekabi, 33, has finished on the podium three times in the Asian Championships, taking one silver and two bronze medals for her efforts.
