Concern mounted Thursday in Iran over the fate of the Islamic republic’s only woman to have won an Olympic medal, who is believed to want to settle in The Netherlands. In keeping with Iran’s strict Muslim custom, Alizadeh, then 18, competed wearing a headscarf over her taekwondo uniform and protective gear. There were high hopes she would compete at the Tokyo Olympics later this year and bring home another medal, but it appears this is not to be. The semi-official ISNA news agency on Thursday carried a report saying: “Shock for Iran’s Taekwondo. If Alizadeh fails to represent Iran at the Tokyo Olympics it would be a huge blow for the Islamic republic.

Source: Punch January 09, 2020 20:56 UTC