Elnaz Rekabi (33) causes a stir at the Asian Climbing Championships. In a silent protest, the Iranian climbing champion takes off the actually compulsory headscarf and climbs without a headscarf instead. This would actually be strictly prescribed for female athletes in Iran.
Rekabi wants to protest the Iranian regime with the action – but now the 33-year-old has disappeared. According to the Persian branch of the “BBC”, her family has not been able to reach the athlete since Sunday evening. The woman is reported missing. Rekabi’s whereabouts are currently unclear.
indignation and praise
According to information from the BBC, Rekabi’s passport and mobile phone were taken after the match. She and the Iranian team hurriedly left the team hotel in the South Korean capital of Seoul.
Rekabi was celebrated on social media for her protest against the regime. The state media, on the other hand, was outraged by the performance athlete’s decision not to wear a headscarf. The authorities also threatened with consequences, according to the Iranian Ministry of Sports, exclusion from the national team is even possible. She finished the competition in fourth place.
demonstrations in Iran
Violent protests have taken place in Iran in recent weeks. The demonstrations were sparked by the death of the young Kurd Mahsa Amini. She died on September 16 in Tehran after being arrested there three days earlier by the vice squad on charges of not wearing her headscarf in accordance with regulations.
Dozens of people died in the following demonstrations, mostly protesters, but also security forces. There were hundreds of arrests in various cities across the country. (zis/AFP)