Women’s sports in Iran rarely remain just about sport. Especially during global events such as the Olympics, public debates often shift away from athletic performance to broader social and cultural questions—sometimes overshadowing the achievements of the athletes themselves. For years, this tension has shaped how Iranian female athletes are seen—and how they see themselves. More than a decade ago, I reported on women’s sports in Iran, a piece that later received recognition

Nowadays, everyone’s lifestyle is impacted by social media applications. It is generally accepted that the widespread use of Social...