An Iranian climber went against her country's strict dress code on Sunday, competing in South Korea without wearing a headscarf.
This comes amid weeks of massive protests following the death of a young woman in the custody of the morality police, after she was arrested for violating Iran's hijab rules.
Elnaz Rekabi, 33, is only the second Iranian female athlete to compete in public without wearing a hijab.
In a video that went viral on social media, she scaled a climbing wall with her hair tied back in a ponytail in the International Federation of Sport Climbing Asian Championships final.
The athlete, from Tehran, finished fourth at the event in South Korea's capital Seoul.
She previously won a bronze medal for boulder climbing at last year's competition and records show she has won more than 80 medals over the course of her career.
Protests continue across Iran, sparked by the death of Mahsa Amini, 22, in the custody of the morality police on September 16.
She had been held three days earlier for wearing her hijab “improperly”.
Human rights groups estimate at least 230 people have been killed in the subsequent unrest, including 32 minors.
While Rekabi was widely praised online, concern was also raised over the repercussions she will likely face at home.
“Very powerful statement,” Iranian journalist Sima Sabet said on Twitter.
“She might not be allowed to be part of the national team again, or be punished, but she showed the world how an Iranian woman looks like.”
Some commentators said she will face prosecution in Iran.
In 2019, boxer Sadaf Khadem became both the first Iranian woman to win a boxing match and the first to compete without a headscarf.
She cancelled her return flight to Tehran after a warrant was issued for her arrest.
Iran had only recently opened up sport to women, on condition that they were coached by a woman and compete wearing a hijab.
The Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index
The Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index
Mazen Abukhater, principal and actuary at global consultancy Mercer, Middle East, says the company’s Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index - which benchmarks 34 pension schemes across the globe to assess their adequacy, sustainability and integrity - included Saudi Arabia for the first time this year to offer a glimpse into the region.
The index highlighted fundamental issues for all 34 countries, such as a rapid ageing population and a low growth / low interest environment putting pressure on expected returns. It also highlighted the increasing popularity around the world of defined contribution schemes.
“Average life expectancy has been increasing by about three years every 10 years. Someone born in 1947 is expected to live until 85 whereas someone born in 2007 is expected to live to 103,” Mr Abukhater told the Mena Pensions Conference.
“Are our systems equipped to handle these kind of life expectancies in the future? If so many people retire at 60, they are going to be in retirement for 43 years – so we need to adapt our retirement age to our changing life expectancy.”
Saudi Arabia came in the middle of Mercer’s ranking with a score of 58.9. The report said the country's index could be raised by improving the minimum level of support for the poorest aged individuals and increasing the labour force participation rate at older ages as life expectancies rise.
Mr Abukhater said the challenges of an ageing population, increased life expectancy and some individuals relying solely on their government for financial support in their retirement years will put the system under strain.
“To relieve that pressure, governments need to consider whether it is time to switch to a defined contribution scheme so that individuals can supplement their own future with the help of government support,” he said.
Tips to keep your car cool
- Place a sun reflector in your windshield when not driving
- Park in shaded or covered areas
- Add tint to windows
- Wrap your car to change the exterior colour
- Pick light interiors - choose colours such as beige and cream for seats and dashboard furniture
- Avoid leather interiors as these absorb more heat
Key fixtures from January 5-7
Watford v Bristol City
Liverpool v Everton
Brighton v Crystal Palace
Bournemouth v AFC Fylde or Wigan
Coventry v Stoke City
Nottingham Forest v Arsenal
Manchester United v Derby
Forest Green or Exeter v West Brom
Tottenham v AFC Wimbledon
Fleetwood or Hereford v Leicester City
Manchester City v Burnley
Shrewsbury v West Ham United
Wolves v Swansea City
Newcastle United v Luton Town
Fulham v Southampton
Norwich City v Chelsea
Schedule for Asia Cup
Sept 15: Bangladesh v Sri Lanka (Dubai)
Sept 16: Pakistan v Qualifier (Dubai)
Sept 17: Sri Lanka v Afghanistan (Abu Dhabi)
Sept 18: India v Qualifier (Dubai)
Sept 19: India v Pakistan (Dubai)
Sept 20: Bangladesh v Afghanistan (Abu Dhabi) Super Four
Sept 21: Group A Winner v Group B Runner-up (Dubai)
Sept 21: Group B Winner v Group A Runner-up (Abu Dhabi)
Sept 23: Group A Winner v Group A Runner-up (Dubai)
Sept 23: Group B Winner v Group B Runner-up (Abu Dhabi)
Sept 25: Group A Winner v Group B Winner (Dubai)
Sept 26: Group A Runner-up v Group B Runner-up (Abu Dhabi)
Sept 28: Final (Dubai)
