Will the Iranian athlete who competed without hijab be jailed?

Elnaz Rekabi, a competitive climber, was found defying Iran’s mandatory hijab rule at an international tournament called the Asian Climbing Competitions which was held in South Korea.

Her friends had reportedly told BBC Parsi that she has been incommunicado since Sunday.

A BBC World Service presenter, Rana Rahimpour tweeted on Tuesday (18 October) morning was on a plane bound for Tehran and that “there are concerns about her safety.”

Her decision to forgo the hijab comes amidst widespread protests in her home country that were sparked by the death of Mahsa Amini.

Let’s take a closer look at the recent developments.

Who is Elnaz Rekabi?

Elnaz Rekabi has represented her country, Iran, in several sporting events. In 2016, the rock climber became the first Iranian woman to compete full-time in the International Federation of Sport Climbing World Cup.

According to a report by shethepeople, Rekabi in an interview had opened up about her journey as an athlete. She said that she had financed her own career while constantly striving to fight gender discrimination which is quite rampant in her country.

‘‘My friends congratulate me and encourage me to continue. But it is true that every time people ask me about what I do they are stunned. A female climber? But on a positive note, it does help other girls to come out and practice this sport. There are no home female climbers better than me and I am not allowed to train with men,” she said.

She won a bronze at the International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC) World Championships, making her the first woman from Iran to do so.

In another interview in 2016 with Euronews, Rekabi spoke about how wearing a hijab is difficult for her line of work.

She said, “At the beginning, it was a little bizarre for the other athletes, who were curious about a girl wearing a scarf on her head and an outfit that covered the arms and legs whilst competing inside in such a hot temperature.”

“For sure, when it’s hot, the hijab becomes a problem. During the competition, your body needs to evacuate the heat. But we have tried to create an outfit ourselves that respect the hijab and is compatible with practicing the sport of climbing,” she added.

Did Elnaz Rekabi go missing?

Ever since her friends told BBC Persian that they were not being able to contact Elnaz, fears of her going missing have only grown.

The news outlet also reported that Rekabi’s journey back home was initially scheduled on Wednesday, but her flight apparently had been moved up unexpectedly.

According to another website called Iran Wire – which was founded by an Iranian-Canadian journalist who had been detained once in Iran – the rock climber had been taken to the Iranian embassy in Seoul to ensure she could be flown home with minimal scrutiny.

The report also alleged that Rekabi would be immediately transferred to Evin Prison in Tehran upon her return. It quoted a source who added that she would be flown back to Tehran on Tuesday, a day early than her original schedule, in an effort to divert any possible protest at Imam Khomeini international airport.

However, the Iranian embassy in Seoul disregarded the rumours. In a tweet, the embassy said, “The Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in South Korea strongly denies all the fake, false news and disinformation regarding Ms. Elnaz Rekabi.”

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

It further said, “Miss Rekabi departed from Seoul to Iran, early morning of October 18, 2022, along with the other members of the team.”

Elnaz Rekabi apologises on Instagram

According to a report by The Associated Press, through an Instagram story, Elnaz Rekabi issued an apology saying, “I apologise about what I did to make you worry.”

The post also said that her decision to not wear a hijab was “unintentional” and claimed that she was “rushed” during the competition.

The Federation at Seoul said that Elnaz Rekabi did wear a hijab during her initial appearances at the one-week climbing event. The pictures that have emerged, however, show her in a black headband and a white jersey with Iran’s flag as a logo on it.

Officials at the federation have said that they were initially unaware of Rekabi competing without her hijab but looked into the case after receiving inquiries about her.

They 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.”

Other athletes who have defied hijab in the past

According to a report by The Guardian, boxer Sadaf Khadem became the first Iranian woman since the Islamic revolution to win a boxing match overseas in 2019. She, like Rekabi, did not wear the hijab during their competition.

After the sporting event, the boxer opted to remain in France after Iranian authorities reportedly issued a warrant against her for, she was bareheaded and in shorts.

In 2016, ace shooter Heena Sidhu voluntarily withdrew her name from the Asian Airgun Shooting Championship, which was held in Tehran. She told the Times of India, “Forcing tourists or foreign guests to wear ‘hijab’ is against the spirit of the game. Since I don’t like it, I have withdrawn my name. You follow your religion and let me follow mine. I’ll not participate in this competition if you are going to force me to comply with your religious beliefs.”

With inputs from agencies

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