Iranian female rock climber goes missing after competing without hijab

© (photo credit: Miguel Medina/AFP via Getty Images) Iran

Iranian rock climber Elnaz Rekabi has been reported missing after competing in the International Federation of Sport Climbing's Asian Championships in Seoul, South Korea over the weekend without wearing a hijab.

The 33-year-old athlete is believed to be the second Iranian female athletes to disobey the mandatory hijab requirement of the Islamic Republic of Iran, according to a report from ABC News.

According to the BBC, Rekabi's friends have been unable to contact her since Sunday night, despite the Iranian team leaving South Korea on Monday morning.

This is particularly relevant in light of the recent tensions and protests in Iran in the wake of Mahsa Amini's death in police custody.

According to the Tehran Times, she was Iran's first woman to win a medal at the International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC) World Championships in 2021 where she won bronze.

For sure when its hot the hijab becomes a problem. During competition your body needs to evacuate the heat. But we have tried to create an outfit ourselves that respects the hijab and is compatible with practicing the sport of climbing. Elnaz Rekabi in a 2016 interview

France-based European media outlet Euronews interviewed Rekabi in 2016, asking her about wearing the hijab during competitions. In response to the question, Rekabi said that "at the beginning, it was a little bizarre for the other athletes, who were curious about a girl wearing a scarf on her head and an outfit that covered the arms and legs whilst competing inside in such a hot temperature. For sure when it's hot the hijab becomes a problem.

"During competition, your body needs to evacuate the heat. But we have tried to create an outfit ourselves that respects the hijab and is compatible with practicing the sport of climbing.’‘