Elnaz Rekabi: Increased concern about Iran’s female athlete who entered the event without hijab

Seoul. An Iranian female athlete, who participated without a hijab in the high-altitude climbing event at the International Federation of Sports Climbing competition, left South Korea on Tuesday. Farsi-language media said he may have been forced by Iranian authorities to leave the country early and could face arrest upon his return. Tehran has denied this to the media.

Elnaz Rekabi, a multiple-competition medalist, chose not to wear a headscarf as anti-hijab protests in Iran sparked by the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in morality police custody entered their fifth week. Iran’s anti-hijab protests have spread to more than 100 cities, with school children, oil workers and others taking part in large numbers, despite police use of force.

Rekabi says in Instagram post she didn’t wear hijab “inadvertently”
However, Rekabi later said in an Instagram post that she did not wear the hijab “inadvertently”. However, it is not clear under what circumstances he wrote this post. Explain that strict dress code is applicable for women in Iran, which is now being opposed on a large scale and the women involved in the demonstrations are burning the clothes related to the dress code and are also cutting their hair in protest.

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The Iranian embassy in South Korea said Rekabi flew in from Seoul on Tuesday morning. The BBC’s Persian service, which despite being banned has extensive contacts inside Iran, quoted an unnamed ‘source’ as saying that Iranian authorities have ordered the confiscation of Rekabi’s mobile phone and passport.

Recabi will be sent to jail on reaching the country
BBC Persian also said that Recabi was initially scheduled to return on Wednesday, but apparently had to leave earlier unexpectedly. Iran Wire, founded by Iranian-Canadian journalist Mazyar Bahari, said Rekabi would be immediately sent to Tehran’s notorious Evin prison upon his arrival in the country.

Iran’s embassy in a tweet on Tuesday termed the news related to Recabi’s departure as fake and false and said that it is propaganda against Iran. But instead of posting a picture from the Seoul competition, it posted a picture of Recabi from the Moscow competition where she won the bronze medal, wearing a hijab.

Rekabi did not wear hijab during final in Asia Championship
Recabi did not wear a hijab during the finals at the International Federation of Sport Climbing’s Asia Championships on Sunday, according to the Seoul-based Korea Alpine Federation, the organizer of the event. Federation officials said Rekabi wore a hijab during her initial appearance at a week-long climbing program. Accordingly, Recabi was part of an 11-member delegation from Iran, which included eight athletes and three coaches.

Federation officials said they were initially not aware of Rekabi competing without a hijab, but looked into the matter after inquiries began about her. Later on Tuesday, South Korea’s foreign ministry acknowledged that the Iranian athlete and his team had left the country without giving a reason. Recabi has been a three-time medalist in the Asian Championships. He has won one silver and two bronze medals in this.

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Tags: hijab controversy, Iran, sports news