Iran’s Sole Female Olympic<br />Medalist Defects Over<br />‘Hypocrisy’ and ‘Lies’ Kimia Alizadeh, Iran’s only female<br />Olympic medalist, recently<br />announced her decision to<br />permanently leave the country. In a post to Instagram, Alizadeh explained that she was defecting due to the oppression she faced in the country. Alizadeh, who won a bronze medal for Taekwondo<br />at the 2016 Olympics, said she was constantly<br />“exploited” by her management. Kimia Alizadeh, via CNN She also stated that she did not want to be<br />complicit with Iran’s regime of “corruption and lies.” Kimia Alizadeh, via CNN Although the decision to<br />leave was hard, Alizadeh<br />said she only wishes for a<br />“happy and healthy life.” Kimia Alizadeh, via CNN Alizadeh did not confirm where she<br />would be seeking asylum, but Iran’s<br />semiofficial ISNA news agency reports<br />that she has fled to the Netherlands.
