The president of Iran's national Olympic committee claimed that competitive climber Elnaz Rekabi will not be punished or suspended after competing in South Korea over the weekend without wearing her nation's mandatory headscarf.
Supporters of Rekabi, however, remain worried for the 33-year-old climber as other athletes have been targeted by the government for supporting the weekslong protests rocking Iran. Activists say security forces already have killed over 200 people and arrested thousands in an ongoing crackdown on dissent.
"It's a small issue. I'm surprised that it is being talked about so much," Khosravi Vafa said, despite protests over the mandatory hijab reaching over 100 cities in Iran so far. "In our view it was not a big issue."Iranian competitive climber Elnaz Rekabi arrived in Tehran to cheering crowds, saying she was sorry for the worry she created after she says she forgot to wear her hijab in competition.
"I talked to her and told her that you definitely are very talented in sports and you should continue down this path to maybe qualify for the Paris Olympics and you'll be fully supported by the Iranian Olympic committee," he added in remarks made in Farsi. Khosravi Vafa, however, described Rekabi as being "a guest at Iran's Olympic committee hotel for one day, along with her family." It wasn't clear if Rekabi had a choice over the stay. A later image published by Iranian state media showed her in a meeting hours after returning to Tehran in the same black baseball cap and hoodie she wore after her flights.
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