Iranian competitive climber Elnaz Rekabi has received a hero’s welcome on her return to Tehran, after competing in South Korea without wearing a mandatory headscarf required of female athletes from the Islamic Republic.
Rekabi’s decision not to wear the hijab while competing on Sunday came as protests sparked by the death in custody of a 22-year-old woman entered a fifth week.
Mahsa Amini was detained by the country’s morality police over her clothing – and her death has seen women removing their mandatory hijabs in public in protest.
The demonstrations, drawing school-age children, oil workers and others to the street in more than 100 cities, represent the most-serious challenge to Iran’s theocracy since the mass protests surrounding its disputed 2009 presidential election.
Supporters and Farsi-language media outside of Iran have worried about Rekabi’s safety after she choose to compete without the hijab.
In a historic move, Iranian athlete Elnaz Rekabi who represented Iran at the Asian Climbing Competitions finals in Seoul, competed without hijab, disobeying the Islamic Republic's restrictions for female athletes. pic.twitter.com/KvxE5NoQLi
— Iran International English (@IranIntl_En) October 16, 2022
On Wednesday, Rekabi repeated an explanation posted earlier to an Instagram account in her name that described her not wearing a hijab as “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.
Video shared online showed large crowds gathered early on Wednesday at Imam Khomeini International Airport outside of Tehran, the sanctioned nation’s main gateway out of the country.
The videos, corresponding to known features of the airport, showed crowds chanting the 33-year-old Rekabi’s name and calling her a hero.
She walked into one of the airport’s terminals, filmed by state media and wearing a black baseball cap and a black hoodie covering her hair.
She received flowers from an onlooker, and then repeated what had been posted on Instagram that not wearing the hijab was “unintentional” and her travel had been as previously planned.
Elnaz Rekabi--the Iranian climber who refused to wear compulsory hejab while competing--is greeted as a hero at 5AM at Tehran airport after her plane lands from Seoul. Imprisoning her will only increase the Iranian nation's enormous admiration for her. pic.twitter.com/7LFUk8hTTJ
Advertisement— Karim Sadjadpour (@ksadjadpour) October 19, 2022
Rekabi described being in a women’s only waiting area prior to her climb.
She said: “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 added: “I came back to Iran with peace of mind, although I had a lot of tension and stress. But so far, thank God, nothing has happened.”
Outside, she apparently entered a van and slowly was driven through the gathered crowd, who cheered her. It was not clear where she went after that.
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” who described Iranian officials as seizing both Rekabi’s mobile phone and passport.
Elnaz Rekabi should not be forcibly returned to Iran. pic.twitter.com/bIzPZ0M6H3
— Amnesty International (@amnesty) October 18, 2022
BBC Persian also said she initially had been scheduled to return on Wednesday, but her flight was moved up unexpectedly.
IranWire, another website focusing on the country founded by Iranian-Canadian journalist Maziar Bahari who once was detained by 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 past 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. 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 took a bronze medal.
Rekabi did not put on a hijab during Sunday’s final at the International Federation of Sport Climbing’s Asia Championship, where she finished in fourth place.
The athlete wore a hijab during her initial appearances at the one-week climbing event. She wore just a black headband when competing on Sunday, with her dark hair pulled back in a ponytail; she had a white jersey with Iran’s flag as a logo on it.
#Mahsa_Amini's death has sparked widespread protests across #Iran. The protests have been met with a deadly crackdown. Take action to end the protest bloodshed. #ProtectTheProtest 👇https://t.co/6iphlzDzFM
— Amnesty International (@amnesty) September 23, 2022
Footage of the competition showed Rekabi relaxed as she approached the climbing and after she competed.
Iranian women competing abroad under the Iranian flag always wear the hijab.
The International Federation of Sport Climbing, which oversaw the event, said in a statement: “Our understanding is that she is returning to Iran, and we will continue to monitor the situation as it develops on her arrival.
“It is important to stress that athletes’ safety is paramount for us and we support any efforts to keep a valued member of our community safe in this situation.”
On Wednesday, a small group of protesters demonstrated in front of Iran’s Embassy in Seoul, with some women cutting off locks of their hair like others have in demonstrations worldwide since Ms Amini’s death.
So far, human rights groups estimate that over 200 people have been killed in the protests and the violent security force crackdown that followed. Iran has not offered a death toll in weeks.
Demonstrations have been seen in more than 100 cities, according to the group Human Rights Activists in Iran. Thousands are believed to have been arrested.
