"Achieving that dream has not been without its challenges for Elham. In Iran women are only allowed to swim in gender-segregated pools and are banned from participating in international swimming competitions. During a previous open-water record-attempt, Iranian police chased Elham in a boat in order to stop her from swimming. The propellers on the police boat sliced her legs and hip. Elham broke her previous 20km open-water record, in June of 2013, by completing a swim in the Caspian Sea in just over eight hours. She swam in a private, women-only beach to avoid another run in with the police. Yet, Iranian officials have refused to recognize her record, stating that her swimming costume, which she had worn when setting her previous records, was illegal because “the feminine characteristics of her body were visible when she came out of the water.” Sign the petition. https://change.org/petitions/international-swimming-federation-demand-iran-register-elham-s-swimming-record?utm_source=action_alert&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=31547&alert_id=fiqCWJJKVX_BnjQQAahkx
Posted on: Sat, 17 Aug 2013 23:17:22 +0000
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