Concerns growing over Iranian athlete who competed without Islamic headscarf

Concerns are growing over the whereabouts of Iranian athlete Elnaz Rekabi after she protested against Iran's dress code by competing without a hijab.

Rekabi, 33, represented her country at the Asian Sport Climbing Championships in Seoul, South Korea on Sunday (16 October), where footage showed her scaling the wall with her hair on show.

She finished fourth in the competition and was praised by other Iranians who are critical of the dress code, but her friends and family later lost contact with the athlete.

Rekabi had told her loved ones she was with an Iranian official, and the BBC’s Persian service reports that friends have been unable to contact her since Sunday.

The BBC also quoted 'well-informed sources' who claimed Rekabi’s passport and mobile phone had been confiscated.

The Iranian embassy has addressed the concerns, releasing a statement which claimed the athlete had flown back to Tehran, Iran.

It explained: "Ms Elnaz Rekabi left Seoul for Iran on Tuesday morning, after the Asian Championships rock climbing competition ended. The embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in South Korea strongly denies all fake news, lies and false information about Ms Elnaz Rekabi."

The BBC World Service presenter Rana Rahimpour reiterated the statement on Tuesday morning in a tweet which said Rekabi was on a plane bound for Tehran, but added there are 'concerns about her safety'.

A post on Rekabi's Instagram story today (18 October) is said to corroborate the claims, saying she is 'now on [her] way out to Iran'. A translation of the post was shared by television presenter Sima Sabet, who suggested it was written by a 'security force' rather than Rekabi herself.

The International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC) also released an official statement about Rekabi's whereabouts today, saying it is 'fully aware of the news regarding Iranian athlete Elnaz Rekabi'.

"There is a lot of information in the public sphere regarding Ms Rekabi and as an organisation we have been trying to establish the facts," the IFSC continued. "We have also been in contact with Ms Rekabi and the Iranian Climbing Federation.

"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.

"The IFSC fully support the rights of athletes, their choices, and expression of free speech."

Women in Iran are required to cover their arms and legs with clothing, and their hair with a hijab. This rule also applies abroad, where female athletes must abide by the dress code when they are officially representing Iran.

Concerns for Rekabi come after 22-year-old Mahsa Amini died in police custody in Iran after being detained by the country’s 'morality police' for not wearing a hijab properly.

If you have a story you want to tell, send it to UNILAD via [email protected]