Sydney, Australia. A fifth member of the Iranian women’s soccer team has withdrawn her claim for asylum in Australia and will rejoin the squad in Malaysia, Australian media reported on Monday. The withdrawal leaves two of the original group of asylum seekers still in Australia.
Asylum claims and team movements
The latest withdrawal leaves only two people of the original six players and one support staff member who sought asylum in Australia last week, saying they feared possible persecution if they returned to Iran. Concerns over their safety followed the players’ failure to sing the national anthem at a women’s Asian Cup match earlier this month.
The five who withdrew their claims are expected to join the rest of the team in Kuala Lumpur, where the squad has been staying since departing from Sydney last week.
Australian government response
Australian Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs Matt Thistlethwaite told Sky News the government respected the decision of those who chose to return to Iran while continuing to provide support to the two members still in Australia.
“This is a very complex situation,” Thistlethwaite said.
Uncertainty over return to Tehran
The team is seeking to travel to another country from Malaysia because it cannot immediately return to Tehran due to the war in the Middle East, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) said on Monday.
The Iranian Football Association said the team was expected to leave Malaysia for Tehran soon “to once again be embraced by their families and homeland.”
AFC General Secretary Windsor John told reporters in Kuala Lumpur the team would seek alternative destinations because they are unable to return to Iran immediately.
“They are just waiting for the flight connections. When they are going… where to, they have to tell us,” he said.
John said he was unable to verify reports that the players’ families had come under pressure from authorities in Iran, adding that the players had not expressed any concerns over their safety.
What do you think the withdrawals mean for the remaining two asylum seekers still in Australia?
