The Iranian climber Elnaz Rekabi has returned to Tehran on Wednesday, where she has been received by a crowd shouting “heroin” despite the fact that she herself has insisted that if she competed without a veil it was by accident, not as a political gesture against the Government of the Islamic Republic.
The videos shared on social networks show hundreds of people at the Imam Khomeini Airport in the Iranian capital, concentrated to celebrate the return of an athlete who has become one of the symbols of the latest revolts against the Government.
However, Rekabi, who was reported missing on Tuesday, has insisted in statements to the official media on the thesis that she had previously defended on Instagram. Thus, she has stated that the organizers of the competition in Seoul called her unexpectedly and she was unable to wear her hijab, included in the official team clothing for women.
The climber has also come out of the speculation and has explained that she has returned to Iran according to the established plan. Also, she has ruled out that she plans to give up participating in future international competitions, according to the IRNA news agency.
The Iranian Embassy in South Korea had denied on Tuesday that there were any problems with Rekabi, in response to “fake news” that, according to its version, had begun to circulate.
