After a competition without a headscarf |
Iran takes away passport and mobile phone from climbing master
The protests in Iran have found their way into sports.
Climbing champion Elnaz Rekabi took off the headscarf compulsory for Iranian athletes in the final of the Asian Championships in Seoul. According to BBC information, her mobile phone and passport were taken away from her by the national association after the competition.
The athlete was celebrated by the Iranians on social media. “We are proud of you,” said one of the numerous reactions on Twitter. In the end, Rekabi took fourth place.
Since the 1979 Islamic revolution, Iranian women have been required to wear headscarves and long jackets in public to hide their hair and body contours. This law also applies to all female athletes in the Islamic country, especially in competitions abroad.
According to observers, Rekabi’s action in Seoul was to be seen in connection with the ongoing women’s protests against the headscarf requirement in Iran, as a signal of her solidarity with the women’s movement.
The protests were triggered by the still unsolved death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in police custody. The young woman was arrested by the moral police last month because her headscarf had slipped slightly and a few strands of hair were visible.
Rekabi is said to have already left South Korea with the rest of the national team. The team is expected back in Iran on Wednesday. It is uncertain what will happen to her after that. (dpa,gla)