DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Iran’s only female Olympic medalist said she defected from the Islamic Republic in a blistering online letter that describes herself as “one of the millions of oppressed women in Iran.”
Taekwondo athlete Kimia Alizadeh posted the letter on Instagram as semiofficial Iranian news agency ISNA said she had fled to the Netherlands. She criticized wearing the mandatory hijab headscarf and accused officials in Iran of sexism and mistreatment.
“Whatever they said, I wore,” Alizadeh wrote in the letter posted Saturday. “Every sentence they ordered, I repeated.”
She described the decision to leave Iran as difficult but necessary.
Trump scraps ‘Bidenbucks’ voter turnout order. The GOP still wants documents
Freed Israeli hostages say they were held in UN camp
White House OPM orders all DEI offices to begin closing by end of day Wednesday
Career Justice Department officials reassigned to different positions: reports
Coast Guard surging assets to Gulf of America, other waterways to support Trump’s executive orders
Anti-abortion advocates ramp up pardon calls after Trump’s Day One clemency snub
Republican senators issue warning to historic museums ahead of pro-life march: ‘Respect’ free speech
Senate Democrats’ efforts to delay Trump Cabinet votes will cost them their weekend
Trump courts AI and defends pardons: Five takeaways from White House ‘Stargate’ event
California officials reopen certain Palisades Fire zones, cops to use planes to monitor looting
Trump signs ‘full and unconditional’ pardon of Silk Road creator Ross Ulbricht
Hegseth denies new claims detailed in affidavit turned over to Senate ahead of key vote
Trump Just Gave the Fire Victims in LA a Long Overdue Present That Will Change Everything
German national suspect identified in deadly shooting of US Border Patrol agent in Vermont
Rep. Andy Biggs eyes run for Arizona governor, says he understands ‘what the state needs to thrive’
There was no immediate reaction from Iranian authorities. ISNA said Alizadeh had been reported injured and unable to compete. Its report suggested Alizadeh might try to compete under another nation’s flag at the 2020 Olympic games in Tokyo.
Alizadeh, 21, won a bronze medal at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
Her defection comes amid unprecedentedly high tensions between Iran and the United States.
In recent years, many Iranian athletes have left their country, citing government pressure. In September, Saeid Mollaei, an Iranian judoka, left the country for Germany. He said Iranian officials had forced him to not compete with Israeli judoka.
Alireza Faghani, an Iranian international soccer referee, also left Iran last year, for Australia.
Story cited here.
