The Running Battle: Marathon Runners Challenge Mandatory Dress Code on Kish Island

The Kish Marathon defiance is therefore not an isolated sporting anomaly, but a powerful continuation of the broader movement for self-determination and fundamental rights for Iranian women. By choosing to run in public without the headscarf, the women athletes utilized a public space and a universally recognized form of physical expression—competitive running—to assert their right to bodily autonomy and freedom of choice. This act of civil courage connects directly to the decades-long struggle of Iranian women who, despite restrictive laws, continue to be highly educated, professionally active, and determined to participate fully and visibly in public life on their own terms.