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Posted on 01/10/2020 6:59:48 AM PST by nuconvert
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.
Kimia Alizadeh clinched a taekwondo bronze medal at the Rio Olympics in 2016, drawing praise from her compatriots including the country’s President Hassan Rouhani and even conservatives in the Islamic Republic.
In keeping with Iran’s strict Muslim custom, Alizadeh, then 18, competed wearing a head scarf 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. Kimia Alizadeh has emigrated to The Netherlands.”
(excerpt) ISNA and several other media believe that Alizadeh, who is reportedly training in The Netherlands, is hoping to compete in Tokyo but not under the Iranian flag.
(more at link)
Bm
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“.....but she can kick my butt.”
Not really. If she gets within reach place your hand on the back of her head and slide her burka over her eyes. Can’t fight if can’t see. Game over.
rwood
Good for her!
[I could do worser.]
“Pretty much anyone can leave if they have somewhere to go.”
Not that easy. It can take months to get a visa to travel to another country. And if you haven’t travelled much outside of Iran, you may not get one. And, even if you have all the paperwork, it’s no guarantee that you won’t be stopped at the airport & have your passport confiscated. And women travelling alone need permission to leave from a husband or male relative.
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