Why has Australia granted asylum to Iran’s 5 women football players amid ‘wartime traitors’ threat
Five Iranian women footballers were granted humanitarian visas in Australia after seeking protection amid fears of persecution if they returned to Iran.
In this photo supplied by Australia's Minister for Home Affairs Tony Burke's office, the Minister Tony Burke, center, poses in an undisclosed location with five Iranian women soccer players who have been granted asylum in Australia. (Photo: Australia Ministry of Home Affairs)
At least five members of Iran’s women’s football team have been granted humanitarian visas in Australia after they were eliminated from the Asian Cup, the government in Canberra said.
The five of the 13-member squad were granted asylum by the Australian government on Monday amid apprehension that they would be persecuted if they return to Tehran. An ABC News report stated that at least seven members of Iran’s women soccer team have sought asylum in Australia.
The Australian police moved Iranian women football players “to a safe location,” Immigration Minister Tony Burke said. The minister added that other team members of the squad have been informed that they were welcome to stay in the country.
Iran players salute during their national anthem ahead of the Women’s Asia Cup soccer match between Australia and Iran in Robina, Australia. (AP)
Soccer players labelled ‘wartime traitors’
As Iran’s women football team participated in the Asian Cup being held in Australia, the players refused to sing the Islamic country’s national anthem and stayed silent before the side’s Asian Cup opener against South Korea earlier this week and the soccer team was labelled as “wartime traitors” by an Iranian state television presenter, New York Times reported.
🟥جان تیم ملی فوتبال زنان ایران در خطر است.
محمدرضا شهبازی مجری امنیتی تلویزیون حکومتی جمهوری اسلامی به طور رسمی تیم ملی فوتبال زنان ایران را به خاطر نخواندن سرود ملی به خیانت متهم کرد و خواستار مجازات آنها به عنوان خائن در دوران جنگ شد. مجازات اتهام خیانت در دوران جنگ در ایران… pic.twitter.com/L4GxaOHTBZ
The state TV presenter Mohammad Reza Shahbazi, in a video which has since gone viral on social media, called out the Iranian women football team players and said the team members should be dealt with “severely” for “dishonour and lack of patriotism”.
Australia’s humanitarian visa programme grants protection to refugees and people who are in humanitarian need. Those who receive the visa, can live, study and work in the country, BBC reported.
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How did Iranian women soccer team escape hotel?
Discussions for asylum had been ongoing for several days when the Iranian football team members refused to sing the national anthem as supporters raised fears for their safety. Minister Burke, who was at the airport, said that border force officials made several representations to the team before departing Sydney.
Last night I was able to tell five women from the Iranian Women’s Soccer team that they are welcome to stay in Australia, to be safe and have a home here. pic.twitter.com/2JQp9q9Z8W
After five Iranian women football players confirmed their consent to seek asylum in the country, the Australian police extracted the players from the team’s hotel and moved them to a safe location here they remain under Australian Federal Police’s protection.
The women Iranian players who were granted asylum are:
Several supporters had gathered outside the Sydney International Airport on Tuesday and crowds broke into cheers as unconfirmed news spread that apart from five players who have already sought asylum, two more players had chosen to stay in Australia, ABC News reported.
The report further added that teh remaining Iranian team departed Sydney on Tuesday evening for Kuala Lumpur.
Nischai Vats is a Deputy Copy Editor at The Indian Express. His work primarily covers US politics and visa and immigration policy, alongside broader international developments, with an emphasis on accuracy, verification, and clear explainers.
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Nischai joined The Indian Express in May 2024 where he works on writing, editing, and refining high-impact stories for digital platforms. His role involves ensuring editorial consistency, factual accuracy, and clarity in coverage of complex policy-driven subjects.
Earlier in his career, he worked across Indian digital newsrooms in reporting and editing roles, including stints at Inshorts, Newslaundry, Tiranga TV, and Catch News. His newsroom experience spans rapid digital publishing, ground reporting, and copy editing across national, civic, and policy beats.
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His core areas of focus include:
US politics and governance: Coverage of American political developments, executive actions, and policy shifts.
US visa and immigration policy: Reporting and editing stories on visa categories, regulatory changes, and immigration pathways affecting global audiences.
Editorial accuracy and copy editing: Ensuring clarity, language precision, and verification in fast-paced digital news environments.
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Nischai's journalism is grounded in verified sources, official documentation, and clear attribution, in line with The Indian Express’ editorial standards. His background across reporting and editing enables him to translate complex policy updates into reliable, reader-friendly coverage. ... Read More
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In this photo supplied by Australia's Minister for Home Affairs Tony Burke's office, the Minister Tony Burke, center, poses in an undisclosed location with five Iranian women soccer players who have been granted asylum in Australia. (Photo: Australia Ministry of Home Affairs) 
