Iranian climber Elnaz Rekabi is missing according to BBC information. Rekabi competed in the final of the Asian Championships in Seoul without the headscarf that is obligatory for Iranian athletes. In a statement distributed via her Instagram account, Rekabi now described this as an accident.
In the statement, which appeared on Rekabi’s Instagram channel on Tuesday morning (October 18th, 2022), the climber apologized to her “dear and honorable compatriots”, according to the wording, for “the concern I caused”. Her headscarf was “accidentally not put on correctly”. She cited “poor time coordination and an unpredictable call to climb” as the reason for this. She announced that she would return “now on schedule with the national team”.
Rebaki statement under duress?
The extent to which the statement was created and distributed under duress remained unclear. In Iran, the regime uses methods to force public confessions and corrections from protesters and undesirables, often under threat of imprisonment or torture, including family members.
Recently there was the prominent case of the singer Shervin, whose song became the anthem for the current protests in Iran. The singer was arrested and subsequently distanced himself from the protest movement in a public statement.
Tradition of staged declarations in Iran
These statements staged by the regime have a long tradition, said ARD correspondent Katharina Willinger: “People apologize on state television, explain statements as a mistake or that they were instigated from abroad to spread bad things about Iran.” There have also been numerous cases in sport where those in power have exerted pressure.
According to experts, the content and wording of Rebaki’s message are also very reminiscent of earlier examples of forced messages. According to media reports, Rebaki’s brother was also arrested and interrogated.
BBC reported Rebaki missing
There is no reliable information about the exact whereabouts of the climber. Rana Rahimpour, correspondent for the BBC in Iran, tweeted on Tuesday morning that Rekabi was missing. According to BBC information, the Iranian team checked out early from the hotel in Seoul on Monday evening. According to ARD information, Rebaki should land in Tehran on Wednesday night.
As the BBC reports, citing local sources, Rekabi’s ID card and mobile phone are said to have been confiscated.
IranWire report: Rekabi on the way to prison
The news portal “IranWire” reported that Rekabi should be transferred to Evin prison after returning home. According to this, the head of the association is said to have arranged for the athlete to be taken to the Iranian embassy in Seoul, on the orders of the chairman of the Iranian Olympic Committee, Mohammad Khosravivafa. The officials are said to have promised her a safe return trip to Iran.
As the government-critical portal further reports, the official bodies organized the early departure with the aim of forestalling a possible gathering of protesters when Rekabi returned to Tehran airport.
Officially only denials from Tehran
On Tuesday night, numerous Iranians flocked to the capital’s airport in Tehran to celebrate Rekabi as the new heroine of the women’s protests. But the roads to the airport were sealed off at night, and the police only allowed people with a valid flight ticket to continue their journey. This information has not yet been confirmed by the Iranian authorities.
The Iranian embassy in Seoul has categorically rejected reports of an arrest. The athlete would travel back to Iran with the team as planned, the official said.
Pro-government media outraged after Rekabi’s protest
Rekabi took off the headscarf that is mandatory for Iranian athletes in the final of the Asian Championships in Seoul. This was seen as a sign of their solidarity with the women’s movement in Iran and the protests against compulsory headscarves.
Iranian media had previously reacted with outrage to Rekabi’s protest. “It remains to be seen how the Ministry of Sport will react to this action”wrote the pro-government newspaper “Hamshahri” on Monday (10/17/2022).
On social media, however, the athlete was celebrated by the Iranians. “We are proud of you”, it said in one of the numerous reactions on Twitter. In the end, Rekabi took fourth place.
Compulsory since 1979
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.
Accordingly, Rekabi would have clearly violated the headscarf law. You are expected to be excluded from the national team. According to observers, her action in Seoul was also to be seen in connection with the ongoing women’s protests against compulsory headscarves 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.