Australia is facing pressure to protect the Iranian women¡¯s soccer team, the Lionesses, as the squad faces criticism at home over their failure to sing the national anthem at a Women¡¯s Asian Cup match on the Gold Coast last week.
The team¡¯s campaign ended Sunday with a 2-0 defeat to the Philippines, meaning players now face uncertainty about their return to Iran amid an escalating Middle East war. An Iranian state TV presenter labeled the players traitors, according to reports, after they remained silent during the national anthem before an opening loss to South Korea on March 2. The players sang the anthem and saluted in later matches.
Organizers have yet to outline departure arrangements for the players, who traveled to Australia only days before the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran erupted.
The Australian Iranian Council is calling on the government to ensure their protection and allow them to remain in Australia. The body launched an online petition, which garnered more than 61,000 signatures as of mid-morning Monday, urging Australian authorities to ¡°ensure that no member of Iran¡¯s women¡¯s national football team is to depart Australia while credible fears for their safety remain.¡±
Australia¡¯s shadow attorney general Julian Leeser on Sunday urged the center-left government to provide asylum to the Iranian team, saying it ¡°should not turn a blind eye to the danger these women face,¡± according to a statement.
Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of Iran¡¯s late last shah and a prominent opposition figure, called on the Australian government to protect the team ¡°and give them any and all needed support,¡± in a post on X. Pahlavi has positioned himself as a potential alternative leader if the Islamic Republic collapses.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong on Sunday declined to comment on whether Canberra had been in direct contact with the players.
¡°I want to say about the Iranian women¡¯s team that it has been really moving for Australians to see them in Australia,¡± Wong said, in an interview with the Australian Broadcasting Corp. ¡°I don¡¯t want to get into commentary about the Iranian women¡¯s team. Obviously this is a regime that we know has brutally cracked down on its people.¡±
Home affairs minister Tony Burke did not immediately respond to a request for comments Monday.
Australia granted humanitarian visas to more than 20 members of Afghanistan women¡¯s cricket team when the Taliban returned to power in 2021 and banned women¡¯s sport. Some have since rebuilt their careers in exile, including in Australia.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.