Australia has granted asylum to five players from Iran’s women’s national team after fears they would face persecution if forced to return home, Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said Sunday.
“They are welcome to stay in Australia, and they are safe here, and should feel at home here,” Burke told reporters. He later posted on social media: “Last night I was able to tell five women from the Iranian Women’s Soccer team that they are welcome to stay in Australia, to be safe and have a home here.”
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The move follows a turbulent Asian Cup campaign in Australia in which several Iranian players refused to sing the national anthem before a match against South Korea last week, an act widely viewed as defiance of the Islamic Republic. Australia’s SBS News reported the five players are under the protection of the Australian Federal Police and that Burke flew to Brisbane to meet them.
Iranian state media commentators denounced the initial protest. On Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting, commentator Mohammad Reza Shahbazi called the silent stance the “pinnacle of dishonour” and said, “Traitors during wartime must be dealt with more severely.” The team sang and saluted the anthem before their second match against Australia, prompting human rights advocates to warn they may have been coerced by government minders.
Iran exited the tournament Saturday after a 2-0 loss to the Philippines. The team’s campaign began days after U.S. and Israeli airstrikes in Iran that killed Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
The case has drawn intense public attention in Australia. Fans at matches waved the pre-1979 Iranian flag, booed the anthem and chanted “save our girls!” after the team’s elimination, attempting to prevent the coach from leaving the stadium. A petition urging the government to ensure squad members do not leave “while credible fears for their safety remain” gathered more than 66,000 signatures.
FIFPRO, the global union for professional players, said it had serious concerns for the welfare of the team’s players and staff.
Iranian media quoted Farideh Shojaei, the Iranian Football Federation’s vice president for women’s affairs, as saying five players left their hotel via a back door with police. “We have contacted the embassy, the football federation, the foreign ministry and anywhere possible to see what will happen,” Shojaei said. “We have even spoken with the families of these five players.”
Iranian outlets also reported the squad had planned to transit home via Dubai but that the United Arab Emirates did not allow them to do so, with alternative routing through Malaysia and Turkey being explored for players and staff.
The unfolding situation has reached the highest political levels. U.S. President Donald Trump said he spoke with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese about the team and initially posted that Australia was “making a terrible humanitarian mistake” by allowing the Iranians to be sent home, adding: “The U.S. will take them if you won’t.” In a later post, he said Albanese was “doing a very good job” handling the “delicate situation” and that five members of the squad “have already been taken care of, and the rest are on their way,” while noting some players felt compelled to return because of threats against family members.
Australian authorities did not immediately detail next steps for other squad members. Burke emphasized the five women granted protection “are safe here,” as advocates continued to press for safeguards for any remaining players with credible fears of reprisals.
By Abdiwahab Ahmed
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.
