Iran Athlete Gets Hero’s Welcome at Airport After Removing Hijab
- Climber Elnaz Rekabi competed in Seoul without headscarf
- Return to Tehran followed report that she’d gone missing
Elnaz Rekabi arrives at Imam Khomeini International Airport in Tehran, on Oct. 19.
Source: IRNA/AP PhotoThis article is for subscribers only.
An Iranian climber was greeted by crowds of cheering supporters at a Tehran airport after she returned home from competing in a major international tournament without wearing a head scarf in contravention of the country’s Islamic laws.
Elnaz Rekabi officially represented the Islamic Republic without covering her hair -- something that’s been mandatory for all Iranian female athletes since 1979 -- at the Asian climbing championships in Seoul on Oct. 16.