Two more members of the Iranian women's national soccer team—one player and one support staff member—have been granted asylum in Australia, following five players who received humanitarian visas earlier in the week. This follows a silent protest where players refused to sing Iran's national anthem during a tournament, leading Iranian state media to label them "traitors" and raising concerns for their safety. Australian officials emphasized that each individual was given a private, pressure-free choice to stay or return, with the seven who remained now on a pathway to permanent residency.
Main Topics Covered:
1. Asylum cases of Iranian women's soccer team members in Australia.
2. The silent protest and the resulting backlash from Iranian authorities.
3. The Australian government's humanitarian visa process and assurance of voluntary choice.
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2 More Iranian Women’s Soccer Players Seek Asylum in Australia
An athlete and a member of the team’s support staff opted not to return to Iran, where state media labeled the women ‘traitors’ for not singing the national anthem. Five others were given visas earlier.
Two more people affiliated with the Iranian women’s national soccer team have opted to remain in Australia, a day after five players were granted asylum in the country in the wake of an act of silent protest during an international tournament, Australian officials said Wednesday.
One player and one member of the team’s support staff requested asylum on Tuesday and were granted humanitarian visas overnight, said Tony Burke, Australia’s home affairs minister. The remaining team members and many of the support staff were each individually interviewed at the airport in Sydney, without any handlers or supervisors, and given the opportunity to stay, but decided not to, Mr. Burke said.
“They were given a choice,” he said. “In that situation what we made sure of was there was no rushing, there was no pressure.”
The rest of the team flew out of Australia late Tuesday. One individual was speaking with family members and apparently struggling to make a decision in the minutes before boarding the flight, but ultimately opted to board the plane, Mr. Burke said.
Concern for the team’s safety arose last week after players refused to sing Iran’s national anthem during their opening game of the Asian Cup tournament hosted by Australia.
The first five players to be granted asylum were given humanitarian visas early Tuesday to be able to remain in the country rather than return to Iran, amid widespread calls in the sporting world, the Iranian diaspora and even from President Trump urging the Australian government to ensure the women’s safety.
A commentator on Iranian state television had called the women “traitors” last week for their silence during the anthem, saying they should be severely punished. Supporters who have been in contact with the players said some of their family members had been detained or threatened.
“When those players were silent at the start of their first match in Australia, that silence was heard as a roar all around the world,” Mr. Burke said Wednesday.
The authorities in Australia said the five athletes were moved to a secure location by the federal police earlier in the week. The two individuals granted asylum on Wednesday were reunited with their teammates who are staying in Australia, Mr. Burke said.
The seven individuals were given humanitarian visas that would put them on a pathway for permanent status in the country, according to Mr. Burke. He emphasized that the choice was left up to each person with the team and that government officials did not exert any pressure, facilitating conversations with family members as they made the difficult decision.
“Possibly for the first time, these individuals were meeting a government that said, ‘The choice is up to you, and here is the opportunity if you want to take it,’” he said.
Victoria Kim is the Australia correspondent for The New York Times, based in Sydney, covering Australia, New Zealand and the broader Pacific region.
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