3 More Members of Iranian Women’s Football Team Leave Asylum in Australia and Return Home

Canberra, Australia — Three additional members of Iran’s women’s national football team have decided to abandon their asylum claims in Australia and return to Iran, Australian authorities confirmed on Sunday.
The development leaves only three players from the original group of seven who will remain in Australia. The seven athletes had sought sanctuary during the Women’s Asian Cup after being labelled “traitors” back home for refusing to sing Iran’s national anthem before matches.
“Overnight, three members of the Iranian Women’s Football Team made the decision to join the rest of the team on their journey back to Iran,” Australia’s Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said in a statement.
“After telling Australian officials they had made this decision, the players were given repeated chances to talk about their options and to confirm their choice,” Mr Burke added.
One member of the delegation had already changed her mind earlier in the week, reducing the number of those staying in Australia from seven to four before Sunday’s announcement. The remaining three players are understood to be continuing with their asylum applications.
The incident has drawn international attention to the pressures faced by Iranian female athletes under the Islamic Republic’s strict rules on political expression and women’s rights.