Two additional members of the Iranian national women’s soccer team were given asylum in Australia prior to the team’s departure, announced Australia’s Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke on Wednesday. The two individuals have now joined five teammates who were granted humanitarian visas a day earlier, as confirmed by Burke during a press briefing in Canberra. Among the recent recipients of asylum were a player and a team staff member, both of whom applied for protection before their teammates left for the airport.
The departure of the remaining team members from Sydney back to Iran late Tuesday was marked by tense protests at the team’s hotel and the airport. Concerned Iranian Australians rallied to prevent the women from returning to Iran, citing safety apprehensions. Nevertheless, the team’s flight eventually took off late on Tuesday.
As the women went through security checks at the Australian border, they were individually approached by Australian officials and interpreters, without any external influence, and were offered asylum opportunities. Some of the players contacted their families in Iran to discuss the propositions, but ultimately, no additional team members chose to stay in Australia.
According to Burke, those who sought asylum have been granted temporary humanitarian visas that could lead to permanent residency in Australia. However, some members of the delegation were not extended the asylum offer due to their affiliations with Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard.
The Iranian team had arrived in Australia for the Women’s Asian Cup before hostilities broke out in Iran at the end of February. After being eliminated from the tournament over the weekend, the team faced the dilemma of returning to a country in conflict.
Australian community groups had implored the government to prevent the women from departing Australia following media coverage when the players abstained from singing the Iranian anthem before their initial match. The players later sang the anthem at subsequent games, but the incident triggered public attention.
Although the exact delegation size remains uncertain, an official squad list included 26 players along with coaching and support staff. Burke dismissed criticisms suggesting that Australian authorities should have intervened to prevent the team’s departure, emphasizing that Australia respects individuals’ autonomy in making decisions.
The minister acknowledged circulating footage depicting a woman being guided by her teammates from the team’s hotel to their bus, stating that any coercion allegations should be addressed by local authorities. Throughout the tournament, the Iranian team garnered significant support in Australia, with a prominent football club in Brisbane inviting the asylum-seeking women to train with their team.