Yesterday Kimia Alizadeh posted an emotional post on social media. Alizadeh, who in Iran is better known as the "tsunami" revealed in her post that she has left Iran and that she does not intend to return.
In social media, she writes according to CNN:
“They took me wherever they wanted. I wore what they said to me. All the sentences they told me to say I repeated. When they thought it fit, they took advantage of me. "
Alizadeh became Iran's first and so far only female Olympic medalist when she beat Swedish Nikita Glasnovic in the bronze match in the 57-kilos class in 2016 in Rio de Janeiro. Rumors of Alizadeh's decision began to flourish on Thursday, but Seyed Mohammed Pouladgar, chairman of the Iranian Taekwondo Federation, dismissed the allegations. However, it is now clear that the 21-year-old has left the country and in his post, the taekwondo star sharply criticized the regime in Iran.
“I wasn't important to them. None of us meant anything, we were just tools ”
Alizadehs also writes that her decision was tougher than winning an Olympic gold:
"I will remain a daughter of Iran wherever I am"
Alizadeh's decision comes at the same time as widespread protests against Iran's sitting power are raging in the country following the blossoming US-Iran conflict. The US Department of State has commented on Alizadeh's decision:
"Iran will continue to lose more strong women if they do not learn to strengthen and support them," Morgan Ortagus told CNN.