Elnaz Rekabi: Fans cheer, clap as climber returns to Iran - Reuters.com

DUBAI, Oct 19 (Reuters) - Iranian climber Elnaz Rekabi, who caused contention by competing successful an planetary contention without a headscarf, has returned to Iran to cheering supporters, reiterating successful comments to authorities media she had climbed without a hijab unintentionally.

Footage had shown Rekabi, 33, scaling a partition without her caput covered portion representing Iran astatine a contention successful South Korea, astatine a clip of unprecedented protests successful Iran implicit the decease successful custody of a young pistillate detained by morality constabulary for "inappropriate attire."

In comments to authorities TV upon her accomplishment successful Tehran, Rekabi said she had returned successful "full health" and apologised to "the radical of Iran for the turbulence and interest that I created", her caput covered by a shot headdress and a hood arsenic she spoke.

“The conflict that I had with wearing my shoes and preparing my cogwheel made maine hide astir the due hijab that I should person had, and I went to the partition and ascended," she added.

A assemblage of well-wishers cheered, clapped and recorded the country connected mobile phones arsenic she was driven distant from the airport, according to footage posted connected Twitter.

In a connection published connected her Instagram relationship connected Tuesday, Rekabi cited mediocre scheduling arsenic the crushed she had competed without a headscarf, saying she had been called to ascent unexpectedly.

In her televised comments Rekabi, who came 4th successful the competition, denied she had been unreachable for 48 hours, and said the squad had returned to Iran arsenic planned. She said she had nary program to discontinue the nationalist team.

BBC Persian had reported connected Tuesday that friends had been incapable to interaction her, and determination were fears for her safety. Iran’s embassy successful South Korea, connected Twitter, denied reports astir her going missing aft the competition.

The International Olympic Committee said it had talked to the jock and had received assurances from the Iran's nationalist Olympic committee (NOC) she would not look consequences.

"A associated gathering took spot contiguous betwixt the IOC, the (international climbing federation) IFSC and the Iranian NOC, during which the IOC and the IFSC received wide assurances that Ms Rekabi volition not endure immoderate consequences and volition proceed to bid and compete," an IOC spokesperson said.

Another associated gathering was past held betwixt the groups and Rekabi, the spokesperson said, adding that the IOC would show the concern intimately successful the days and weeks to come.

The decease past period of Mahsa Amini portion successful the custody of the Islamic Republic's morality police, who detained her for "inappropriate attire", prompted nationwide protests during which women person removed and burned headscarves.

The protests ignited by Amini's decease person grown into 1 of the boldest challenges to the Islamic Republic since the 1979 revolution, though the unrest does not look adjacent to toppling the system.

Reporting by Dubai Newsroom; Additional reporting by Karolos Grohmann, Editing by William Maclean and Frank Jack Daniel

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