Five members of the Iranian women’s soccer team, who visited Australia to play in the Women’s Asian Cup, were granted permission to stay in the country on Tuesday after international concern broke out over their safety.
An inside source told CNN that two additional people, a player and a member of staff, had also decided to stay in Australia, though officials have yet to confirm.
Last Monday, the players were recorded standing in silence during their national anthem, an action taken by hardliners in Iran as treason.
The women were reportedly forced to sing the anthem during their following two matches, and perform the military salute, but were filmed signing “Help” as they were driven away after their 2-0 loss to the Philippines last week.
Australian Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke, who has agreed to provide the women with visas, told reporters that the other team members were also welcome to stay in Australia, noting that the initial five players wanted to stay.
Australian officials identified the players as Zahra Sarbali Alishah, Mona Hamoudi, Zahra Ghanbari, Fatemeh Pasandideh, and Atefeh Ramezanizadeh. They were staying at an undisclosed location under police protection, officials said.
Simon Leske, the co-founder and director of Kindra Migration Lawyers, told The Jerusalem Post that Burke had used his unique powers to grant the women visas and that the players had likely received the subclass 449 temporary humanitarian visa.
“I believe, based on my experience, that it’s likely to be the subclass 449, humanitarian stay, temporary visa, which is a visa that can be used by the minister in very exceptional circumstances where there’s a need for a very quick grant to allow an individual to stay, and would then allow, subsequently, for the minister to grant a permanent visa, and that might take a little bit longer,” Leske explained.
“Now, this is a unique intervention by the minister, typically, an individual in Australia who had fears of returning to their country of nationality, to their home country, because they fear they could face harm from their government or another group or individual in their country would actually lodge a visa application known as a protection visa, which is the subclass 866.”
Many Australians campaigned tirelessly for the women
While not able to comment on the diplomatic implications of the move, Leske shared that many Australians campaigned tirelessly for the women, including members of Australia’s own Iranian diaspora community.
“The fact that the minister actually traveled to Brisbane to meet with the players is quite an exceptional situation. I believe that’s probably due to the pressure within the community to show support,” he explained.
Leske noted this is not the first time a sporting team had claimed asylum in Australia, pointing to the 2021 decision to grant emergency humanitarian visas to over 20 members of the Afghanistan women’s cricket team after the Taliban returned to power and banned women’s sport.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed that the country had also offered to help the other players on the Iranian national team but it was their decision whether or not to accept.
Craig Foster, a former captain of the Australian men’s football team and prominent human rights advocate, told BBC News that the situation may not be a matter of simply accepting help.
“Some may have concerns, others may not – but what we know is most of them have families back home, some of them have children back home, and even if offered the right to remain in Australia if they feel unsafe, many of them may not accept that opportunity,” Foster commented.
“Australians have been moved by the plight of these brave women, Albanese told a news conference in Canberra on Tuesday, a day after police had helped extract the women from their Iranian government handlers.
“They’re safe here, and they should feel at home here.”
Both Israel and the United States asked the Australian government to provide the women protection.
US President Donald Trump said Australia would be “making a terrible humanitarian mistake” to allow the women to be sent back, while Innovation, Science, and Technology Minister Gila Gamliel wrote to the Australian ambassador to plead for the women.
“There is a real threat to their freedom and even to their lives,” Gamliel wrote.
In response to the humanitarian visa case, Iranian state TV reported the country’s football federation asked international soccer bodies to review Trump’s “direct political interference in football,” claiming that such “baseless and unlawful” actions could disrupt the World Cup.
“No one has the right to interfere in the family affairs of the Iranian nation and play the role of a nanny who is kinder than a mother,” Iranian First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref said.
Protesters attempted to disrupt the movement of the players’ bus on the Gold Coast on Tuesday, kneeling in front of the vehicle, but were only able to delay the journey for a few minutes, according to media reports and social media footage.
One of the players appeared to be crying as she was escorted by security onto the bus, CNN reported, citing a person at the scene of the hotel.
The remaining players are now returning to Iran, through either Malaysia or Turkey, after the United Arab Emirates refused the requests for the team to travel through Dubai, according to Iranian media.