Australia has granted humanitarian visas to five football players from the Iranian women’s national football team after the players protested by remaining silent during the national anthem at the Asian Cup.
Players identified as:
- Fatemah Pasandideh
- Zahra Ghanbari
- Zahra Sarbali
- Atefeh Ramazanzadeh
- Mona Hamoudi
All have been moved to a safe location, as confirmed by the Australian Federal Police.
Immigration Minister Tony Burke said: “The women have been moved to a secure location. »
He added that the players “want to make it clear that they are not political activists. They are athletes who want to be safe.”
Concerns about the Iranian footballer’s safety were raised last week when the team stood silently during the national anthem before a match against South Korea.
As reported CNNsources close to the teams confirmed that the players were facing threats against their families.
The remaining team left Australia for Iran, although their itinerary remains uncertain.
Iranian state media reported that the attorney general’s office encouraged the team to return, describing them as “children of this same country” who acted “unintentionally” due to “enemy plans.”
