Five Iranian Female Footballers Granted Asylum in Australia After Refusing to Sing the Anthem » Gazeta.kg

Australia's Minister for Home Affairs, Tony Burke, reported that the athletes have been placed in a safe location under police protection. According to Reuters, The Guardian, and AP, these football players found themselves under threat in their homeland after a match against South Korea, where their actions were characterized by Iranian state television as treason.

According to sources, applications for humanitarian visas were submitted on March 9, and the decision to grant protection was made by Australian authorities after several days of negotiations. It was also mentioned that assistance may be offered to other team members.

Based on information from ABC, the number of football players wishing to stay in Australia may rise to seven. However, some of them are still considering the possibility of returning due to concerns for the safety of their families in Iran.