Hyderabad, Jan. 29 -- Iranian figure skating champion Atefeh Ahmadi left her home country and applied for asylum in Germany.

Ahmadi had travelled to Germany to be able toparticipate in the Courchevel-Meribel 2023 Alpine Ski World Championshipsthat are organized in France starting February 9, 2023.

"I left Iran to achieve my goal, but my heart is with Iran. I love my Iran. I love my people. If I could, I would support the people so that together we can achieve freedom," Ahmadi said in an interview with London-based broadcaster Iran International on Saturday.

Iran's Tasnim news agency quoted Abbas Nazarian, head of the Iranian Ski Federation, as saying that her departure "was a personal decision and seems to have been planned for some ti...