Canberra, Australia. An Iranian women’s soccer delegation member who sought asylum in Australia has changed her mind and decided to return to Iran, Australia’s interior minister said on Wednesday. Australian police helped two additional delegation members slip their minders to claim asylum.
Government response and visa processing
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke told parliament that two people, one player and one support team member, asked to stay in Australia and that he signed paperwork for them to be issued humanitarian visas that were processed overnight. Burke said one of the two later spoke to some teammates who had left and then decided to return to Iran.
Asylum decisions and police assistance
Burke announced the decision to return after five players from the team were granted asylum a day earlier. A player and a support staff member accepted the government’s open offer of aid on Tuesday evening. It was not immediately clear who decided to return to Iran.
Safety concerns and relocation
Burke said the remaining players were moved to a safe location after the returning member contacted the Iranian embassy and disclosed their location. Concerns about the players’ safety increased after Iranian state television described the team as “wartime traitors” for refusing to sing the national anthem during a women’s Asian Cup match in Australia earlier this month.
Individuals identified
The two additional delegation members were identified as 21-year-old striker Mohaddeseh Zolfi and support staffer Zahra Soltan Moshkehkar. They were removed from the rest of the team with the assistance of the Australian Federal Police before boarding a domestic flight to Sydney.
How do you think Australia should handle future asylum requests from visiting sports delegations?
