Voice of America
29 Jan 2023, 11:36 GMT+10
PARIS - Iranian Olympic skier Atefeh Ahmadi has quit her home country and applied for asylum in Germany, a Persian-language media outlet outside Iran reported Saturday, publishing an emotional interview with the athlete.
Ahmadi, in her early 20s, was the only Iranian woman to qualify for last year's Beijing Winter Games.
'I left Iran to reach my goal, but my heart is with Iran. I love my Iran. I love my people,' she told London-based Iran International.
'If I could, I would stand by the people so that we can reach freedom together,' she said.
Iran erupted into protests in September following the death in custody of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, an Iranian woman of Kurdish origin, after she was arrested for allegedly violating the Islamic republic's dress rules.
Hundreds have been killed in the ensuing security crackdown, according to the Norway-based group Iran Human Rights, while authorities say thousands have been arrested.
Ahmadi said she applied for a visa independently, and that applying through Iran's ski federation required 'a house deed as the security deposit to the federation.'
'I don't think that putting the document (the house deed) in the federation's mortgage is the right thing for a national sportsman or woman' to do, she said in the interview.
She also cited discussions about prioritizing the men's team over women skiers.
'They said because of this uprising and these recent events, the dispatches are reduced to a minimum,' she said. 'Priority is given to the men's team.'
Ahmadi also complained of heavy Iranian security surveillance for overseas visits.
'The security people who took our passports most of the trips always followed us, they even looked at the juices in our hands to see what we drink... what kind of meat do we have,' Ahmadi said, alluding to Islamic requirements.
Iran ski federation chief Abbas Nazarian said Ahmadi's move 'was a personal decision and seems to have been planned for a while.'
'She was one of the best in Iranian skiing and we supported this athlete in every way,' he said Saturday, according to the Tasnim news agency.
'Ahmadi could have been in the competitive environment for at least another decade,' he lamented in the report, adding: 'Federations cannot manage the personal decisions of individuals.'
Ahmadi vowed to 'come back strong' in a post sharing the video interview on her Instagram page.
'My family suffered a lot for my skiing... I promise them that I will reach the goal for which I left Iran,' she said in tears.
'We must always be strong and fight for our goals,' she added.
Ahmadi is not the first female athlete to leave Iran recently.
Prominent chess player Sara Khadem, 25, fled to Spain after taking part in an international tournament in December without Iran's mandatory hijab.
In 2020, Iran's first ever female Olympic medalist, tae kwon do athlete Kimia Alizadeh, left Iran in 2020 for the Netherlands.
Get a daily dose of Germany Sun news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Germany Sun.
More InformationPARIS, France: L'Oréal is making a fresh play in the booming premium haircare segment with a new acquisition. The French beauty conglomerate...
BEIJING, July 5 (Xinhua) -- China's Ministry of Commerce said Saturday that it has accepted price undertakings from 34 European Union...
Options reportedly include suspending the trade pact, an arms embargo, or sanctions on Israeli ministers, soldiers and settlers The...
BEIJING, July 5 (Xinhua) -- The European Union (EU) is once again casting a wary eye eastward, as alarmist claims of a new China shock...
(Photo credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images) Bojan Bogdanovic announced his retirement Sunday after 10 NBA seasons with six teams, citing...
Buenos Aires [Argentina] July 5 (ANI): As Prime Minister Narendra Modi is on the way to Argentina, Indian Ambassador Ajaneesh Kumar...
LONDON, U.K.: An unrelenting heatwave sweeping across Europe has pushed early summer temperatures to historic highs, triggering deadly...
DUBLIN, Ireland: Tánaiste Simon Harris has called on the United States to use every hour to reach a zero-for-zero tariff agreement...
DUBLIN, Ireland: A blind woman from Dublin says she was hurt while getting off a bus because the driver refused to pull in close to...
DUBLIN, Ireland: The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) has warned that there could be a serious trolley crisis this summer...
ISTANBUL/PARIS/BRUSSELS: As searing temperatures blanket much of Europe, wildfires are erupting and evacuation orders are being issued...
NEW YORK CITY, New York: The U.S. dollar continues to lose ground, weighed down by growing concerns over Washington's fiscal outlook...