Iranian climber who competed without headscarf met by huge crowds in Tehran

Iranian climber Elnaz Rekabi was met by cheering crowds as she touched down at Iran's Imam Khomeini international airport after competing in South Korea without a headscarf.

Rekabi made headlines on Sunday (16 October) for what looked to be an act of defiance against Iran's requirement for women to wear headscarves, when she represented Iran while climbing in the IFSC Asian Championships with her hair on show.

The climber's friends and family described losing contact with Rekabi after the event, and there were concerns for her safety as it was reported that she had left South Korea to return to Iran.

The International Federation of Sport Climbing, which oversaw the event, released a statement acknowledging there was 'a lot of information in the public sphere regarding Ms Rekabi', adding: "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."

Rekabi landed in Iran early this morning (19 October), where crowds chanted her name and called her a hero as she walked into one of the airport's terminals wearing a black baseball cap and a black hoodie which covered her hair.

The displays came after residents held protests over the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who had been detained by the country’s morality police over her clothing.

After landing in Iran, Rekabi announced to the crowd that climbing without a hijab was 'unintentional', and that her return to the country had already been planned.

See Rekabi's climb below:

The claim echoes one made in a statement on Instagram after the event, and Rekabi went on to explain that she had forgotten to put on her hijab as she prepared for her climb in a women's-only waiting area.

“Because I was busy putting on my shoes and my gear, it caused me to forget to put on my hijab and then I went to compete," she explained. "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 was handed a bunch of flowers from one person in the crowd, and after leaving the airport she entered a van and was driven through the crowd, who continued to cheer during her departure.

More than 200 people are thought to have been killed in the protests in Iran, according to estimates from human rights groups, while thousands of people are believed to have been arrested.

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