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Elnaz Rekabi

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Elnaz Rekabi
الناز رکابی
Rekabi in 2019
Personal information
Nationality Iran
Born (1989-08-20) 20 August 1989 (age 35)
Zanjan, Iran
Height161 cm (5 ft 3 in)
Climbing career
Type of climber
Medal record
Women's competition climbing
Representing  Iran
World Championships
Bronze medal – third place 2021 Moscow Combined
Asian Championships
Silver medal – second place 2013 Tehran Bouldering
Bronze medal – third place 2014 Lombok Lead
Bronze medal – third place 2016 Duyun Speed relay

Elnaz Rekabi (Persian: الناز رکابی Persian pronunciation: [elˈnɒːz ɾekɒːˈbiː]; born 20 August 1989) is an Iranian competition climber.[1][2][3][4] She participated at the 2021 IFSC Climbing World Championships, being awarded the bronze medal in the women's combined event.[5] Rekabi has also finished on the podium three times at the IFSC Climbing Asian Championships, with one silver and two bronze medals.[6]

She made global headlines in 2022 when she violated Iran's mandatory hijab rule while participating in the 2022 IFSC Climbing Asian Championships in Seoul, South Korea. Occurring during the Mahsa Amini protests, it was widely interpreted as an intentional violation to signal support for the protests.[7]

Hijab controversy

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In 2022, she participated in the 2022 IFSC Climbing Asian Championships in Seoul, South Korea, where she finished fourth. Notably, she appeared without Iran's mandatory hijab.[8] The event occurred during the ongoing Mahsa Amini protests in Iran, a large element of which is resistance to and intentional violation of the obligatory hijab. On 18 October, two days after the competition, Rekabi was reported missing.[9][10] The same day, a post was made on her Instagram account which claimed that she would explain everything at a news conference and that she was traveling back to Iran alongside her fellow team members. The post also claimed that her headscarf fell off inadvertently, and she had competed without it, due to bad timing and an unanticipated call for her to compete.[11] BBC Persian reported that Rekabi's passport and mobile phone had been seized, and that her return flight from Seoul had been moved to depart a day earlier.[6] On 19 October, Rekabi returned to Tehran, where, at Imam Khomeini International Airport, she reiterated her statement to state media before receiving a "hero's welcome" from cheering crowds chanting "Elnaz the champion", some of whom included unveiled women. Rekabi was reported to have waved to the crowd from inside a vehicle.[12][13][14][15] Rekabi is believed to be the second Iranian female athlete to ever violate the Islamic Republic's hijab law during public competition (the first being Sadaf Khadem in 2019).[10]

On 21 October, the BBC, citing an "informed source", stated that Rekabi was put under pressure in to make a "forced confession" following her return to Iran. According to the same source, Rekabi, after arriving at the airport, was "held at the national Olympics academy under the watch of plainclothes officers until she met the minister", referring to Iran's sports minister Hamid Sajjadi. The source claimed the authorities threatened to take her family's property if she did not agree to make the "forced confession", and that Rekabi was put under house arrest following her return to Iran. Iranian authorities, however, stated that she was at home "in need of rest".[16][17]

Around 3 December, an unconfirmed video was distributed of Elnaz' medal-winning athlete brother Davood crying at a demolished house. The anonymous offscreen filmer says "This is the result of living in this country. A country's champion with kilos of medals for this country... They pepper-sprayed him and demolished a 39 sqm house and left."[18] Iranian media confirmed that Rekabi's family house had been demolished, but said that the demolition had occurred prior to the September 16 hijab incident, and that the demolition was because the house lacked a valid construction permit.[19]

Awards and accolades

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Iranian climber's World Cup dream comes true". Euronews. 23 April 2016. Retrieved 5 June 2022.
  2. ^ "Iran's Elnaz Rekabi Wins Gold at Sport Climbing Asia Cup". Tasnim News Agency. 29 October 2017. Retrieved 5 June 2022.
  3. ^ "Iranian Climber Elnaz Rekabi: Gender Not Important in Competitive Climbing". Tasnim News Agency. 23 April 2018. Retrieved 5 June 2022.
  4. ^ "Rock Climber Rekabi Keen on Jakarta Asian Games, 2020 Tokyo Olympics". Financial Tribune. 22 April 2018. Retrieved 5 June 2022.
  5. ^ "Iranian woman Rekabi wins first ever medal at IFSC World Championships". Tehran Times. 22 September 2021. Retrieved 5 June 2022.
  6. ^ a b "Worry grows for a female Iranian athlete who climbed without a hijab". NPR. 18 October 2022. Retrieved 18 October 2022.
  7. ^ "Opinion | Why Iran's leaders are so scared of a rock climber". MSNBC.
  8. ^ "Watch: Athlete competes without hijab, defying Iran's diktat for female players". Hindustan Times. 17 October 2022. Retrieved 17 October 2022.
  9. ^ "Iranian female rock climber goes missing – BBC". 18 October 2022.
  10. ^ a b "Fears for Iranian climber Elnaz Rekabi after she competed in Seoul without a hijab". the Guardian. 18 October 2022. Retrieved 18 October 2022.
  11. ^ Gritten, David (18 October 2022). "Elnaz Rekabi: Iranian climber 'says hijab fell off accidentally' at competition". BBC News. Retrieved 18 October 2022.
  12. ^ GAMBRELL, JON (19 October 2022). "Iran's Elnaz Rekabi, who competed without hijab, in Tehran". AP News.
  13. ^ Elnaz Rekabi: Crowd greet Iranian climber who broke hijab rule on return BBC News, 19 October 2022
  14. ^ Iranian climber who competed without hijab welcomed by crowds in Tehran Washington Post, Victoria Bisset, 19 October 2022
  15. ^ Iranian climber who competed without hijab met by jubilant crowds in Tehran The Guardian, Patrick Wintour, 19 October 2022
  16. ^ Ghobadi, Parham. "Iran: Climber Elnaz Rekabi apology was forced, source says". BBC. Retrieved 21 October 2022.
  17. ^ "Call to protect Iran climber after reported house arrest". France24. 21 October 2022. Retrieved 21 October 2022.
  18. ^ "Iranian athlete's family home demolished by officials, media outlet says". CNN. 2 December 2022. Retrieved 16 December 2022.
  19. ^ "Elnaz Rekabi: Family home of Iranian climber demolished". BBC News. 3 December 2022. Retrieved 16 December 2022.
  20. ^ "BBC 100 Women 2022: Who is on the list this year?". 6 December 2022. Retrieved 7 December 2022.
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