Iranian competitive climber Elnaz Rekabi received a hero\u0027s welcome on her return to Tehran early Wednesday.
After landing, Rekabi gave a careful, emotionless interview to Iran’s hard-line state television, saying that going without a hijab had been an “unintentional” act on her part. However, hundreds gathered outside Imam Khomeini International Airport — including women not wearing the hijab — and cheered for “Elnaz the Champion,” casting Rekabi as an inspiration for their continued protests.Sign up to receive daily headline news from the Calgary SUN, a division of Postmedia Network Inc.
That Rekabi, 33, competed without her hijab in Seoul during the finals of the International Federation of Sport Climbing’s Asia Championship prompted her immediate embrace by those supporting the demonstrations that increasingly include calls for the overthrow of the country’s theocracy. At first, Rekabi repeated an explanation posted earlier to an Instagram account in her name, saying her not wearing the hijab was “unintentional.” The Iranian government routinely pressures activists at home and abroad, often airing what rights group describe as coerced confessions on state television — the same cameras she addressed on her arrival back home.“Because I was busy putting on my shoes and my gear, it caused me to forget to put on my hijab and then I went to compete,” she said.
Rekabi left Seoul on a Tuesday morning flight. The BBC’s Persian service, which has extensive contacts within Iran despite being banned from operating there, quoted an unnamed “informed source” as saying Iranian officials as seized both Rekabi’s mobile phone and passport. BBC Persian also said she initially had been scheduled to return on Wednesday, but her flight apparently had been moved up unexpectedly.
Rekabi wore a hijab during her initial appearances at the one-week climbing event in Seoul. She wore just a black headband when competing Sunday, her dark hair pulled back in a ponytail; she had a white jersey with Iran’s flag as a logo on it. So far, human rights groups estimate that over 200 people have been killed in the weekslong protests and the violent security force crackdown that followed. Iran has not offered a death toll in weeks. Demonstrations have been seen in over 100 cities, according to the group Human Rights Activists in Iran. Thousands are believed to have been arrested.
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Iranian climber Elnaz Rekabi, who competed without hijab, given hero's welcome in TehranIranian competitive climber Elna Rekabi received a hero's welcome on her return to Tehran early Wednesday, after competing in South Korea without wearing a mandatory headscarf required of female athletes from the Islamic Republic.
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Iran's Elnaz Rekabi, who competed without hijab, in TehranIranian competitive climber Elnaz Rekabi received a hero\u0027s welcome on her return to Tehran early Wednesday.
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Iran’s Elnaz Rekabi, who competed without hijab, in TehranIranian competitive climber Elnaz Rekabi received a hero’s welcome on her return to Tehran early Wednesday, after competing in South Korea without wearing a mandatory headscarf required of female athletes from the Islamic Republic.
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Iran's Elnaz Rekabi, who competed without hijab, in TehranIranian competitive climber Elnaz Rekabi received a hero\u0027s welcome on her return to Tehran early Wednesday.
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Elnaz Rekabi, who competed without hijab, returns to cheering crowds in Tehran | CBC NewsIranian competitive climber Elnaz Rekabi received a hero's welcome on her return to Tehran early Wednesday, after competing in South Korea without wearing a mandatory headscarf required of female athletes from the Islamic Republic.
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Iranian sport climber Elnaz Rekabi sent home, fate uncertain after competing without hijab | CBC NewsAn 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 by Iranian officials and could face arrest back home, which Tehran quickly denied.
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