Several members of Iran’s national women’s football team have refused to board a flight home from Australia, citing fears for their safety after reportedly receiving death threats following a silent protest during the Women’s Asian Cup.
The controversy began when members of the 13-player squad declined to sing Iran’s national anthem before their opening match against South Korea earlier this month.
The gesture was widely interpreted as a protest against political developments in Iran, including escalating tensions following military strikes involving the United States and Israel.
Iranian state media later branded the players “traitors”, triggering fears that they could face severe punishment if they returned home.
Under Iran’s penal code, offences linked to treason or collaboration with hostile states can attract lengthy prison sentences or even the death penalty.
Amid growing concerns, five players — including the team captain — reportedly escaped their handlers on Monday night and sought protection from Australian authorities.
Australia’s Home Affairs Minister, Tony Burke, later confirmed that the women had been granted humanitarian visas and moved to a secure location.
Two additional players also sought refuge shortly before the team’s scheduled flight from Sydney to Iran via Kuala Lumpur, according to reports.
One of the players, 24-year-old winger Golnoosh Khosravi, reportedly refused to board the aircraft at the departure gate, where activists had gathered to protest the team’s return to Iran.
One demonstrator held up a sign written in Farsi that read: “Golnoosh, your mum said to stay.”
Another player, Mohadeseh Zolfi, also requested and received asylum before the flight, according to Iran International, an independent news outlet.
As the remaining players boarded the aircraft, witnesses said some of them appeared distressed. One player was reportedly seen dragging a teammate toward the vehicle transporting the squad to the plane.
Players granted asylum on Monday reportedly include captain Zahra Ghanbarim, Fatemeh Pasandideh, Zahra Sarbali, Atefeh Ramazanzadeh and Mona Hamoudi.
Their decision to flee was reportedly influenced by a message smuggled out of Iran through Turkey from a player’s family urging the women “to stay.”
The team — popularly referred to as Iran’s “Lionesses” — had earlier drawn global attention after they stood silently during the national anthem on March 1.
Their action came amid reports of the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, a development that heightened tensions across the region.
Following the incident, relatives of several players in Iran were allegedly threatened, while some were reportedly detained.
Skylar Thompson, deputy director of Human Rights Activists (HRA), a US-based Iranian human rights organisation, warned that players who return to Iran could face serious consequences.
“The returning players risk interrogation, travel bans, suspension from sport, or other forms of retaliation by the regime,” Thompson said.
However, some reports suggest the punishment could be far more severe. A source told IranWire that Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) was considering arresting the players and putting them on trial on charges such as “cooperation with a hostile state” and “propaganda against the regime.”
Even those who remain abroad may face repercussions through their families.
“Iranian authorities have historically used pressure on the family members of activists, dissidents and critics as a means of coercion and deterrence,” Thompson added.
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