Iran Olympic chief says no punishment coming for Elnaz Rekabi, but concern remains

SEOUL, South Korea — The president of Iran’s national Olympic committee said Thursday that competitive climber Elnaz Rekabi will not be punished or suspended after competing in South Korea over the weekend without wearing her nation’s mandatory headscarf.

Supporters of Rekabi, however, remain worried for the 33-year-old climber as other athletes have been targeted by the government for supporting the weeks-long protests rocking Iran. Activists say security forces have killed over 200 people and arrested thousands in an ongoing crackdown on dissent.

Speaking to The Associated Press in Seoul, Mahmoud Khosravi Vafa said there was no reason to take disciplinary measures against Rekabi because not wearing a headscarf, or hijab, was an “unintentional” act on her part.

An Instagram account associated with Rekabi also described the decision as “unintentional,” and she did as well after reaching Tehran early Wednesday. She blamed being rushed to compete, though a video of her climb Sunday appeared to show her relaxed and waving to the crowd.

“It’s a small issue. I’m surprised that it is being talked about so much,” Khosravi Vafa said, despite protests over the mandatory hijab reaching more than 100 cities in Iran. “In our view it was not a big issue.”

Khosravi Vafa said he discussed Rekabi with International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach on Wednesday on the sidelines of the Association of National Olympic Committees General Assembly in Seoul. Khosravi Vafa said he spoke to Rekabi as well.

“I talked to her and told her that you definitely are very talented in sports and you should continue down this path to maybe qualify for the Paris Olympics and you’ll be fully supported by the Iranian Olympic committee,” Khosravi Vafa said in remarks made in Farsi.

The IOC described Rekabi on Wednesday as having “returned to Iran safely and with her family.”

Khosravi Vafa, however, described Rekabi as being “a guest at Iran’s Olympic committee hotel for one day, along with…