Iranian greeted as hero after competing without hijab
AFP - 1h ago
An Iranian climber who caused a sensation by competing at an event abroad without a hijab was on Wednesday given a hero's welcome on her return to Tehran by supporters who raucously applauded her action.
Elnaz Rekabi flew back to Tehran's international airport after the competition in South Korea© Rhea KANG
With Iran still shaken by women-led protests over the death of Mahsa Amini one month ago, Elnaz Rekabi flew back to a Tehran airport after the competition in South Korea.
In an Instagram post and comments at the airport, Rekabi has apologised over what happened and insisted her hijab -- which all Iranian women including athletes must wear -- had accidentally slipped off.
But activists fear her comments have been made under duress under pressure from the Iranian authorities who were likely infuriated by her actions.
"Elnaz is a hero," chanted dozens of supporters who gathered outside the Imam Khomeini International Airport terminal, clapping their hands and brandishing mobile phones to record the moment.
They continued to chant and applaud as a van and vehicle -- one of which they presumed was carrying the climber -- drive out of the airport through a sea of people clapping above their heads.
It was unclear where she was headed. Some of the women present were themselves not wearing hijab.
"A hero's welcome -- including by women without the forced-hijab -- outside Tehran airport for-pro climber Elnaz Rekabi. Concerns for her safety remain," said the New York-based Center for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI).
Verity Bowman -
Iranian climber Elnaz Rekabi received a hero's welcome from cheering crowds as she arrived in Tehran from South Korea, where she competed without her hijab.
Iranian competitive climber Elnaz Rekabi speaks to journalists in Imam Khomeini International Airport in Tehran - IRNA via AP© IRNA via AP
Supporters congregated at Imam Khomeini international airport on Wednesday, chanting 33-year-old Rekabi’s name. Many women present were not wearing headscarves.
The athlete's phone and passport were reportedly confiscated after she defied strict rules requiring Iranian women to cover up, even while representing the country in international competitions.
Rekabi was filmed by state TV television cameras walking into one of the airport’s terminals, wearing a black baseball cap and a black hoodie covering her hair.
Rekabi’s apparent defiance of Iran’s modesty rules while competing on Sunday came as protests over the death in custody of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini entered a fifth week.
Amini was detained by the country’s morality police over her clothing and her death has seen women removing their mandatory hijabs in public.
The demonstrations represent the most-serious challenge to Iran’s theocracy since the mass protests surrounding its disputed 2009 presidential election.
Rekabi’s friends and supporters have raised concerns over her safety.
On Tuesday, she took to Instagram to say that she was called to compete “unexpectedly” which “unintentionally” created an issue with her hair covering.
“Due to bad timing and unexpectedly being called to climb the wall, I inadvertently created a problem with my head covering,” she wrote.
“Apologising for the worries that I caused… currently, according to the pre-determined schedule I am returning to Iran with the team.”
Iranian climber Elnaz Rekabi competing during the women's Boulder & Lead finals of the IFSC Asian Championships in Seoul -
RHEA KANG/IFSC/HANDOUT/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock© Provided by The Telegraph
She received flowers from an onlooker and then repeated what had been posted on Instagram - that she had “accidentally” competed without her hijab.
“Regarding this topic, as I already explained on my social media stories – it totally happened accidentally,” she told state media IRNA.
“I was unexpectedly called upon and I attended the competition. I somehow got busy with the equipment, and it made me negligent to the hijab.”
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.”
Rekabi then climbed into a van and was driven away through the cheering crowd.
Rekabi left Seoul on Tuesday morning.
The crowds at Theran airport© Provided by The Telegraph
Iran’s embassy in Seoul denied “all the fake, false news and disinformation” regarding Rekabi’s departure, posting an old photo of Rekabi wearing her head covering.
Iranian women competing abroad under the Iranian flag always wear the hijab.
In an interview before Rekabi returned to her home country, her brother said that she would “always play wearing the national team’s uniform”.
“My sister had a hijab but was wearing a headband and unfortunately some people [took advantage] of this issue,” Davoud Rekabi told state-aligned Tasmin news agency.
“My sister is a child of Iran, and she will always play wearing the national team’s uniform. Elnaz belongs to this land, and she will always play for this country,” he continued.
Human rights groups estimate that more than 200 people have been killed in the recent protests and the violent crackdown that followed. Iran has not published 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.
She received flowers from an onlooker and then repeated what had been posted on Instagram - that she had “accidentally” competed without her hijab.
“Regarding this topic, as I already explained on my social media stories – it totally happened accidentally,” she told state media IRNA.
“I was unexpectedly called upon and I attended the competition. I somehow got busy with the equipment, and it made me negligent to the hijab.”
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.”
Rekabi then climbed into a van and was driven away through the cheering crowd.
Rekabi left Seoul on Tuesday morning.
The crowds at Theran airport© Provided by The Telegraph
Iran’s embassy in Seoul denied “all the fake, false news and disinformation” regarding Rekabi’s departure, posting an old photo of Rekabi wearing her head covering.
Iranian women competing abroad under the Iranian flag always wear the hijab.
In an interview before Rekabi returned to her home country, her brother said that she would “always play wearing the national team’s uniform”.
“My sister had a hijab but was wearing a headband and unfortunately some people [took advantage] of this issue,” Davoud Rekabi told state-aligned Tasmin news agency.
“My sister is a child of Iran, and she will always play wearing the national team’s uniform. Elnaz belongs to this land, and she will always play for this country,” he continued.
Human rights groups estimate that more than 200 people have been killed in the recent protests and the violent crackdown that followed. Iran has not published 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.
Iran's Elnaz Rekabi, who competed without hijab, in Tehran
Video by:Emerald MAXWELL
Iranian climber Elnaz Rekabi returned to Tehran early Wednesday after competing in South Korea without wearing a headscarf, an act widely seen as support for anti-government demonstrators amid weeks of protests over the Islamic Republic's mandatory hijab. 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
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