People fear for Iranian climber Elnaz Rekabi who competed without her hijab

• Is the athlete in danger?
• Elnaz Rekabi says it was unintentional.
• Protests continue in Iran after death of Mahsa Amini.

Concern has grown on social media about the safety of a popular Iranian athlete. Fans fear for Iranian climber Elnaz Rekabi after she competed without her hijab. We tell you the details.

The Iranian climber left South Korea on Tuesday after competing in an event where she climbed without the headscarf, or hijab, that is mandatory to cover her hair in her country. Farsi-language media outside of Iran warned that Iranian authorities may have forced her to leave early and that she could be arrested upon returning to her country.

People worry about Iranian climber Elnaz Rekabi after she competed without her hijab

Elnaz Rekabi, a multiple medalist in various competitions, climbed without a hijab amid protests sparked by the September 16 death of a 22-year-old woman. Iranian morality police had detained Mahsa Amini for her clothing, according to The Associated Press.

The protests, which have mobilized children, oil workers and others in more than 100 cities, pose the biggest challenge to the Iranian theocracy since the mass marches following the disputed 2009 presidential election.

Elnaz Rekabi explains

Later, an Instagram post attributed to Rekabi indicated that not wearing the hijab had been «unintentional». However, at first it was not clear if she had written the text or what state she was in at the time.

The Iranian government routinely pressures activists inside and outside the country, often displaying what human rights groups describe as coerced confessions on state television. Rekabi left Seoul on a Tuesday morning flight, according to the Iranian embassy in South Korea.

Will Elnaz Rekabi be sent to prison?

BBC Persia which has extensive contacts in Iran despite being banned from operating in the country, quoted an unnamed «source» as saying that Iranian authorities had seized Rekabi’s cell phone and passport.

BBC Persian also said that the athlete was originally scheduled to return on Wednesday, but that her flight had unexpectedly been moved up. IranWire, another news site founded by the Iranian-Canadian journalist Maziar Bahari, who was detained in Iran, stated that Rekabi would be transferred immediately to the well-known prison of Evin in Tehran when she arrived in the country.

Protest or carelessness?

The Iranian embassy in Seoul denied in a tweet «all the fake news and misinformation» about Rekabi’s departure on Tuesday. But instead of showing a photo of her at the competition in Seoul, it shared a photo of her wearing a hijab at another Moscow tournament, where she won a bronze medal.

Rekabi did not wear a hijab during Sunday’s final of the Sport Climbing Federation Asian Championships, according to the Seoul-based Alpine Federation of Korea, which organized the event. Federation members said Rekabi had worn the scarf for her first appearances at the week-long event. On Sunday she only wore a black belt to compete, with black hair in a ponytail. She was wearing a white T-shirt with the Iranian flag. Click here to watch Elnaz Rekabi compete without her hijab.