SYDNEY — A member of the Iranian soccer team who had been granted asylum in Australia has reversed her decision regarding refuge, leading to the relocation of the remaining six players.
The player received a humanitarian visa on Tuesday night local time, along with a support worker, increasing the number of Iranians seeking asylum in Australia to seven. However, she changed her mind on Wednesday morning and reached out to the Iranian embassy, as stated by Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke.
“In Australia, individuals have the right to change their minds and to travel,” he informed parliament. “We acknowledge the circumstances surrounding her decision.”
The other six women who remained in Australia were required to be moved to a more secure location, as the player disclosed their whereabouts when she contacted the embassy.
“Regrettably, in making that choice, she had been advised by her teammates and coach to reach out to the Iranian embassy for assistance,” he noted.
Mr. Burke previously mentioned that government officials did not rush or pressure the women into deciding whether to accept a humanitarian visa after the team’s exit from the Women’s Asian Cup.
The remainder of the team’s departure from Sydney, Australia, back to Iran late Tuesday local time occurred amid tense protests at the team’s hotel and at the airport. Iranian Australians attempted to prevent the women from leaving the country, expressing concerns for the team’s safety upon their return to Iran after being labeled “wartime traitors” by Iranian state media for not singing the national anthem prior to their opening match.
Their flight took off late Tuesday.
Burke indicated that as the women went through security at Australia’s border, each was individually taken aside by Australian officials and interpreters, without any minders present, and were offered asylum.
“They were presented with a choice,” he stated. “In that situation, we ensured that there was no rushing or pressure.”
Some contacted their families in Iran to discuss the offer, Burke added, but no additional members of the delegation opted to remain in Australia.
“The focus was on ensuring the dignity of those individuals to make a choice,” he explained. “We could not eliminate the pressure of the context for these individuals, including what might have been communicated to them beforehand and the pressures they might have felt regarding other family members.”
Those who sought asylum were granted temporary humanitarian visas, which provide a pathway to permanent residency in Australia, Burke stated.
The team members confirmed to be staying in Australia included captain Zahra Ghanbari and players Fatemeh Pasandideh, Zahra Sarbali, Atefeh Ramezanizadeh, and Mona Hamoudi.
Iranian refugee advocate Ara Rasuli, who participated in the asylum process, remarked that the Australian government had “opened every avenue for the girls to stay here and to be protected.”
The players returning to Iran potentially faced execution, and their families risked retaliation from the regime, she noted.
“They are in significant danger,” Ms. Rasuli stated. “There are various threats, such as detaining family members and seizing their assets … and that is why most of the girls are opting to return home, as the threats are a major concern in this situation.”
The Iranian team arrived in Australia for the Women’s Asian Cup last month, prior to the onset of the Iran war on Feb. 28. The team was eliminated from the tournament over the weekend and faced the possibility of returning to a country under bombardment.
It was unclear exactly how many individuals were in the delegation, but an official squad list identified 26 players, along with coaching and other staff. Burke dismissed suggestions that Australian officials should have intervened more to prevent the women’s departure.
“Australia’s goal here was not to compel individuals to make a specific decision,” he stated. “We are not that kind of nation.”
The minister mentioned that he had seen widely circulated footage that appeared to show a woman being led by her teammates from the team’s hotel on Queensland’s Gold Coast to their bus. Whether that constituted coercion was a matter for local Australian police, Burke remarked.
The Iranian team gained popularity in Australia during the tournament. Brisbane Roar, the leading football club in Brisbane — the nearest major city to where the women were based — posted on social media Tuesday inviting the women remaining in Australia to train with their club.
The team’s situation attracted international attention, including from U.S. President Donald Trump, who criticized the Australian government on Monday for not providing the women asylum. It was revealed Tuesday that discussions between Australian officials and some of the women had already been taking place privately, and Trump later commended Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese after the two leaders spoke by phone.
Iranian state TV on Tuesday reported that the country’s football federation had requested international soccer organizations to review what it termed Trump’s “direct political interference in football,” cautioning that such remarks could disrupt the 2026 World Cup.
Information from AAP and The Associated Press was utilized in this report.
