Sydney/Kuala Lumpur: One member of Iran’s women’s football squad who sought asylum in Australia has reversed her decision and will return home with the team, Australian Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said on Wednesday.
Australian Federal Police helped striker Mohaddeseh Zolfi, 21, and support staffer Zahra Soltan Moshkehkar slip away from their minders to accept Canberra’s open asylum offer on Tuesday evening. This followed the granting of protection to five players a day earlier.
However, “one of the two who had made the decision to stay last night had spoken to some of the teammates who had left, and had changed her mind,” Burke told parliament, without identifying the individual.
“In Australia, people are able to change their mind, people are able to travel. And so, we respect the context in which she has made that decision,” he added.
The reversal prompted authorities to relocate the remaining players to a safe site after the player contacted the Iranian embassy, potentially exposing their location, Burke said.
Safety fears had mounted after Iranian state television labelled the team “wartime traitors” for refusing to sing the national anthem during a Women’s Asian Cup match in Australia earlier this month. The controversy erupted amid US and Israeli airstrikes on Iran that killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, leading to the team’s elimination on Sunday.
Before boarding a domestic flight to Sydney, Zolfi and Moshkehkar were separated from the group with police aid. At Sydney airport, officials isolated the rest from Iranian minders and outlined their options. All who reached the airport chose to depart.
“What we made sure of was that there was no rushing, there was no pressure. Everything was about ensuring the dignity for those individuals to make a choice,” Burke said during a Canberra media briefing.
Some players discussed family sponsorship possibilities. “Obviously, when people are permanent residents, there are rights that they have in terms of sponsoring other family members. But all of it only becomes relevant if people can get out of Iran in the first place,” he noted.
The team has arrived in Kuala Lumpur en route to Iran. The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) confirmed their hotel stay, stating, “The AFC will provide all necessary support to the team during their stay until their onward travel arrangements are confirmed.”
Iran’s embassy in Kuala Lumpur told Bernama that the players were “doing well and want to return home”.
