Iran’s Olympic chief claims no punishment coming for climber

By KIM TONG-HYUNG
Associated Press

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — The president of Iran’s national Olympic committee has claimed 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. Mahmoud Khosravi Vafa made the comment Thursday in an interview with The Associated Press in Seoul, South Korea. Supporters of Rekabi, however, remain worried for the 33-year-old climber as other athletes have been targeted by the government for their support of the weekslong protests rocking Iran. Activists say security forces already have killed over 200 people and arrested thousands in an ongoing crackdown on dissent.