Iranian rock climber arrives back in Tehran after competing without hijab
By Shabnam News Published on April 3rd, 2013
IRAN, April 3 (UNIAN) – On April 2, Iranian rock climber Maryam Noori returned to Tehran after competing in the 2012 Iranian climbing championship without wearing a head covering.
This is Noori’s third major national competition, in the past three years. In all three years her hijab has not been an issue.
Last year, Noori placed fifth in the first-ever national competition, held in August 2012. The next year she competed in her first World Cup event, finishing tenth with the climbing route “Najafshah”. Noori also climbed her first route at the World Cup championship.
This year she won a silver medal with the route “Faisal-e-Tavar” in the first Iranian national competition. She placed thirteenth in the second competition.
“After my win, I didn’t have any emotions at all,” said Noori. “I had no particular feelings about it. Everything is natural and it will be over soon.”
After two months of not wearing a head cover, Noori began to feel ashamed.
“I felt embarrassed, guilty and ashamed. I began to hate myself,” she said. “I blamed myself for not wearing the hijab. My heart was in a state of a deep remorse and I couldn’t think straight. But then there was a moment to take a good look at myself, to see the negative side… I began to hate myself and all my thinking was in vain. For a moment I began to cry.”
After the Iranian national championships, the World Cup competitors were given the task of wearing their head coverings.
Noori’s mother said she was not sure if she told her to wear a head covering on her