Sydney, Australia One of the two members of the Iranian women’s football delegation who had accepted an offer to remain in Australia has reversed her decision, Immigration Minister Tony Burke confirmed on Wednesday.
The reversal came after the individual spoke with teammates who had already left Australia and reportedly followed their advice to contact the Iranian embassy.
“One of the two who had made the decision to stay last night had spoken to some of the teammates who had left and had changed her mind,” Burke told Parliament.
The two individuals a player and a member of the support staff had been separated from the rest of the squad after expressing a desire to stay in Australia for safety reasons. Earlier, five players had been granted visas to remain in the country under humanitarian grounds due to concerns over their well-being.
Safety Concerns Spark Asylum Offers
The asylum offers came after members of the team refused to sing the Iranian national anthem ahead of a match against South Korea during the Asian Cup, actions that drew condemnation from Iranian state media.
Australian authorities provided the two individuals with translators and private access to officials and family members. Burke emphasized that there was no pressure to influence their decision.
“In Australia, people are able to change their mind. We respect the context in which she had made that decision,” he said.
Those who accepted the asylum offer were moved to secure locations and set to be fast-tracked for permanent residency under Australia’s humanitarian visa program.
Evacuation and Public Reaction
The remainder of the team departed Australia on Tuesday evening, two days after being eliminated from the Asian Cup. At Sydney Airport, a significant police presence ensured the players could speak privately with officials, while some members of the Australian-Iranian community gathered to show support or protest their return.
A small number of delegation members, reportedly Iranian government minders, were not invited to stay in Australia.
“There are some leaving Australia who I am glad are not in Australia,” Burke said.
Potential Repercussions in Iran
It remains unclear what consequences the players and their families may face after their refusal to sing the anthem. Conservative commentators on Iranian state media have labelled them “wartime traitors” and demanded harsh punishments.
The delegation reportedly sang the anthem in their last two matches, apparently under the supervision of government officials accompanying the team.
Earlier reports noted that activists temporarily blocked a team bus departing their Gold Coast hotel, some waving the Lion and Sun flag, the official state flag of Iran before the 1979 Islamic revolution.
Humanitarian Visa Recipients
The five players granted humanitarian visas were Fatemeh Pasandideh, Zahra Ghanbari, Zahra Sarbali, Atefeh Ramazanzadeh, and Mona Hamoudi. Police moved them to safe locations to protect them from potential threats.
“They want to be clear they are not political activists. They are athletes who want to be safe,” Burke said.
Related News
He praised the women for their courage and added, “Australia has taken the Iranian women’s soccer team into our hearts. These women are tremendously popular in Australia.
