Tehran, Iran - Iranian athlete Elnaz Rekabi has landed back in her home country after her sudden disappearance at the Asian climbing championships in Seoul, where she had competed without wearing a hijab after weeks of protests over strict Islamic dress codes.

She later reappeared and issued an apology that is widely seen as forced, as the government moves to contain the protests.

Earlier, the Iranian news agency Tasnim reported the 33-year-old sport climber arrived in Tehran on Wednesday morning. Unverified pictures on social media showed people welcoming her at Tehran airport and cheering her action.

In Sunday's final of the Asian Championships in South Korea, Rekabi had caused a stir because she competed without the required head covering. Islamic dress is compulsory for female athletes in the Iranian national team. Afterwards, friends and family members reported difficulties reaching her, which raised concerns for her safety.

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Her decision not to wear the headscarf in Seoul was seen by many as solidarity with ongoing anti-government protests in Iran sparked by the death of a woman in police custody for allegedly breaking hijab rules.

Rekabi's team left the hotel on Monday morning, according to reports. It remains unclear what happened to her.

Rekabi's passport and mobile phone were reportedly confiscated, and there was also talk of her being arrested, but the Iranian embassy in Seoul categorically denied such reports.

According to the Tasnim news agency, seen as a mouthpiece for the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, Rekabi apologized for not wearing a headscarf and insisted it was "unintentional."

There have been suggestions that the apology, which was also posted on her Instagram Stories, was forced. The Iranian authorities regularly exert pressure. Farsi-language media also reported that Rekabi's brother had been arrested.

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Since the nationwide protests broke out in Iran, several prominent athletes have criticized the Islamic Republic for suppressing women's protests and proclaimed their solidarity with the demonstrators.

The death of 22-year-old Iranian Kurdish woman Mahsa Amini in mid-September unleashed mass protests nationwide.

The morality police had arrested her for allegedly not complying with the compulsory regulations on wearing a headscarf. She died on September 16.

The government in Iran has responded to the protests with a violent crackdown that has been widely criticized abroad.

The Iranian authorities have also largely shut down internet access, and several popular apps such as Instagram and WhatsApp have also been blocked, prompting growing numbers of Iranians to seek ways to evade the blackout, including VPNs.