Ms. Rekabi has been welcomed as a fresh representation of Iran’s female-led demonstrations. Ms. Rekabi’s friends reported being unable to reach her when a video showing her competing without a hair covering was made public, and they expressed worries for her safety.
She expressed regret for “making everyone scared” in a post that surfaced on her Instagram account on Tuesday. My head covering unintentionally came off because of improper timing and the sudden need for me to climb the wall, she said.
Upon her arrival in Tehran, she reiterated this in a brief interview with official media, stating that she was feeling “tight” about going home. Unknown where she was transported after leaving the airport.
Her re-appearance in public may assuage concerns that she would be detained, but many people will want greater assurance.
Female Iranian athletes who have competed overseas without donning a hijab in the past have said that the government forced them to make similar apologies. Some people choose not to return to Iran.
She was going back to Iran “with the team according on the pre-arranged schedule,” according to Ms. Rekabi’s Instagram post.
According to sources, the wording employed in this article gives the impression that it was written under duress to many people.
The death in detention of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old woman detained by morality police in Tehran on September 13 for reportedly donning her headscarf too loosely, served as the catalyst for the countrywide Iranian protests.
Police claimed she had a heart attack and refuted claims that she had been struck in the head with a baton.
On September 14, 2016, Elnaz Rekabi competed at the indoor World Climbing and Paraclimbing Championships in Paris while donning a hijab. At the 2016 Indoor World Championships in Paris, Elnaz Rekabi wore a hijab.
Ms. Rekabi left Seoul for Iran on Tuesday morning, according to the Iranian embassy in South Korea, which vehemently refuted “any fake news, lies, and false information” concerning her.
Ms. Rekabi left her hotel in Seoul two days before her scheduled departure date, according to a source who spoke to TAM on Monday.
Her passport and cellphone were also seized, the source added. After she claimed to be with an Iranian official, she lost communication with her family and friends.
She and the Iranian Climbing Federation were in contact with the International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC), which stated that it was “working to establish the facts.”
It further stated, “It is vital to emphasise that we place a high priority on athletes’ safety and we support all attempts to keep a valuable member of our community safe in this circumstance. The IFSC expresses its full support for athletes’ rights, choices, and freedom of speech.”
