Parinaz Hajilou, a 21-year-old Iranian national table tennis player, announced in an Instagram post that she is retiring from the national team.
She wrote that like any athlete, my biggest goal was to achieve honor and medals for my country, and a medal that you receive from the hands of your country’s people has a different color and value.
Parinaz Hajilou added that today, when I see the state of the people of Iran and my country, I think no rank or medal will make them happy. My rank and medal only have value when the people of my country are well, when Iran is well.