Three additional members of Iran’s women’s national soccer team who had initially accepted humanitarian visas to remain in Australia have decided to return to Iran, leaving just three of the original seven still in the country, an Australian government minister said Sunday.
“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,” said Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke. He noted that Australian officials had given the players multiple opportunities to discuss their options before they left.
Background
The Iranian team arrived in Australia last month to compete in the Women’s Asian Cup, prior to the outbreak of the Middle East war on February 28.
Initially, six players and a support staff member from the squad of 26 accepted humanitarian visas to stay in Australia. One later reversed her decision, and over the weekend, three more—including two players and a support staff member—departed Sydney for Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The remaining members of the team have been in Kuala Lumpur since March 9.
Concerns for the safety of the Iranian players in their home country were heightened when they did not sing the Iranian national anthem before their first match in Australia.
Reactions
The Australian government praised the players’ autonomy while acknowledging the difficult decisions they faced. “While the Australian government can ensure that opportunities are provided and communicated, we cannot remove the context in which the players are making these incredibly difficult decisions,” Burke said.
Treasurer Jim Chalmers expressed relief that three team members would remain in Australia but also concern for those returning home. “I can only imagine the pressure that they feel and how difficult these sorts of decisions would be for them,” he told Seven Network television.
Iran’s Tasnim News Agency described the return of the players as a “disgraceful failure of the American-Australian project and another failure for Trump,” referencing calls from the U.S. president and Iranian diaspora groups for Australia to offer refuge.
Minister Burke emphasized that Australians should be proud of the choices offered: “The Australian government has done everything we could to make sure these women were provided with the chance for a safe future in Australia.”
