The president of the National Olympic Committee of the Islamic Republic of Iran (NOCIRI), Mahmoud Khosrabi Vafa, met last night (Friday) with the head of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Thomas Bach, and insisted that he is "committed to the Olympic rules."
The meeting comes against the backdrop of growing protests in Iran following the death of Masha Amini, the climber Alanz Rakbi who competed without a hijab in the South Korean capital last week, and a call by activists to exclude Iran from the upcoming World Cup due to the refusal to allow women access to soccer stadiums in the country.
Alanz Rokbi.
The Iranian climber who competed without a hijab, photo: AFP
Amini's death last month and protests against the government have sparked further criticism of women's rights and freedom in Iran.
The 22-year-old was arrested for not wearing a hijab and died in custody, with the police accused of brutally beating her, which led to a brain bleed and a stroke.
Khosrabi Vafa, who was elected president of NOCIRI in August, claimed that the Olympic Charter has always adhered to Iran.
"We are committed to the Olympic rules as before," he said, as reported in the "Tehran Times".
Iran has previously been accused of violating the Olympic Charter through government orders according to which the country's athletes will not compete against Israelis in sporting events.
Bach emphasized the IOC's support for NOCIRI in accordance with the Olympic Charter during his meeting with Khusrabi and Afa at the General Assembly of the Association of National Olympic Committees, according to the Tehran Times.
Khusrabi and Afa claimed that Rakbi's appearance at the Asian Championships in Seoul without a hijab, which generated a lot of publicity and concerns for the athlete's safety, was a "small issue".
"I talked to her and told her that she is very talented in sports and should continue on this path to maybe qualify for the Paris Olympics and get full support from the Iranian Olympic Committee," Khosrabi Vafa told the Associated Press.
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