Head of Iran’s sports federation quits after women compete unveiled

TEHRAN, Iran — The head of Iran’s athletics federation resigned today over a sporting event featuring women without the mandatory headscarf, state media reports, as the Islamic Republic toughens enforcement of hijab rules.

“Hashem Siami resigned from his post due to the controversies that arose from the endurance (running) race organized in Shiraz” in Iran’s south, official news agency IRNA says.

According to images from Friday’s competition published by Iranian media, some women were running without headscarves, made compulsory shortly after the Islamic Revolution of 1979.

Local organizers of the public event have also been summoned to provide “explanations,” the provincial prosecutor says in a statement.

Siami told IRNA he was not involved in organizing the competition, and the unveiled athletes were not part of the national federation.

A new police program came into force last month aiming for stricter enforcement of hijab-wearing in public.

The number of women in Iran defying the dress code has increased since a wave of protests following the September 16 death in custody of Kurdish-Iranian Mahsa Amini, 22, after she allegedly breached it.