A fifth member of Iran’s national women’s soccer team rescinded her claim for asylum in Australia and left the country, the Australian government confirmed on Monday.
Seven members of the Iranian women’s national team had initially sought asylum in Australia, where they had been playing in the in the Asia Cup Tournament when the United States and Israel began attacking Iran on Feb. 28.
The team had become a cause célèbre — and branded as “traitors” by Tehran — after players elected not to sing the Iranian national anthem during their opening match, in an apparent protest against Iran’s government. The incident raised concerns for the players’ safety if they returned to Iran after the tournament.
The Australian government said it offered humanitarian visas to most of the Iranian delegation, including the players and many members of the support staff. Seven individuals accepted the offer to remain, but five have since changed their minds and opted to return — an indication of the difficult choice they faced between their personal safety and the welfare of family members at home.
Members of the Iranian diaspora in Australia, who say they have been in contact with the players, have said that some players’ families have been harassed by the government back in Iran and prevented from leaving that country.
The Iranian team, aside from the two players who accepted the asylum offer and remained in Australia, boarded a plane in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on Monday night to fly to Oman, The Associated Press reported. On Sunday, the Tasnim news agency, an arm of Iranian state media, posted a photograph of some Iranian players in the Kuala Lumpur airport, where they were smiling and wearing hijabs.
Ali Watkins covers international news for The Times and is based in Belfast.
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