Two more members of the Iranian women’s soccer team have been granted asylum in Australia, confirmed by Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke on Wednesday. The duo has now joined five teammates who were previously given humanitarian visas. Among the recent recipients, one is a player, and the other is a team staff member. They sought asylum before the team’s departure from Sydney, which took place amidst protests by Iranian Australians expressing concerns for the women’s safety back in Iran.
As the team boarded their flight late Tuesday, each woman was individually approached by Australian officials and interpreters at the border, without any external influence, and offered asylum. While some team members contacted their families in Iran to discuss the opportunity, none of the remaining members chose to stay in Australia. Those who accepted asylum were granted temporary humanitarian visas with a pathway to permanent residency, mentioned Burke. However, some individuals were not offered asylum due to their connections with Iran’s Revolutionary Guard.
The Iranian women’s team had traveled to Australia for the Women’s Asian Cup before the outbreak of the Iran war on February 28. Following their elimination from the tournament, the players faced the dilemma of returning to a country embroiled in conflict.
Australian authorities faced criticism for their handling of the situation, with calls to prevent the women from leaving Australia. This request came after the team garnered attention for not singing the Iranian anthem before their initial match. Despite the initial controversy, the players later sang the anthem in subsequent games.
While the exact size of the delegation remains unclear, official records listed 26 players along with coaching and support staff. Minister Burke defended Australia’s stance, emphasizing the country’s respect for individual choices and denying any coercion in the women’s departure.
Notably, the Iranian team gained popularity during their time in Australia, with a local football club in Brisbane extending an invitation for the asylum-seeking players to train with their team.
