A female Iranian athlete who competed without a hijab at a climbing competition in South Korea has reappeared. Elnaz Rekabi was feared to have been missing after her family and friends lost contact with her on Monday. The 33-year-old reportedly left Seoul on a Tuesday morning flight, a day before she had initially planned to.Rekabi apologized on Instagram for her behavior and the "improper timing" of her actions in South Korea. Rekabi claimed she "returned" to Tehran earlier than planned due to her training schedule. Elnaz Rekabi made the decision to compete without a hijab as an act of defiance in support of the mass protests in Iran. The protests in Iran were sparked by the death of Mahsa Amini in “morality police” custody. Amini was arrested for allegedly wearing her headscarf too loosely. Rekabi has finished on the podium three times in the Asian Championships, taking one silver and two bronze medals.