Australia grant asylum to Iranian footballers

已複製連結

Australia has granted asylum to five members of the Iranian women's soccer team who were visiting the country for a tournament when the Iran war began, Australia's Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said Tuesday.

The women were transported from their hotel in Gold Coast, Australia "to a safe location" by Australian federal police officers in the early hours of Tuesday morning local time. There, they met with Burke and the processing of their humanitarian visas was finalized, the minister told reporters in Brisbane hours later.

"I say to the other members of the team the same opportunity is there," Burke said. "Australia has taken the Iranian women's soccer team into our hearts."

Local news outlets reported that the squad numbered about 20 women. Burke didn't detail what threats the players faced if they returned to Iran, but the asylum bids followed urging by Iranian groups in Australia and by US President Donald Trump for the Australian government to offer help to the woman. 

The Iranian team arrived in Australia for the Women's Asian Cup last month, before the Iran war began. The team was knocked out of the tournament over the weekend and was facing the prospect of returning to a country under bombardment. Iran's head coach Marziyeh Jafari on Sunday said the players "want to come back to Iran as soon as we can," according to Australia's national news agency, AAP.

During the tournament, the players have mostly declined to comment on the situation at home, although Iran forward Sara Didar choked back tears in a news conference on Wednesday as she shared their concerns for their families, friends and all Iranians during the conflict.

The team's silence during the anthem before an opening loss to South Korea last week was viewed by some as an act of resistance and others as a show of mourning. The team hasn't clarified. They later sang and saluted during the anthem before their remaining two matches.