Five Iranian footballers granted Australian visas after anthem protest15 minutes agoShareSaveKaty WatsonandSimon Atkinson,reporting from the Gold CoastShareSaveAFP via Getty ImagesFive members of the Iran women’s football team are understood to be claiming asylumFive members of the Iranian women’s football team have been granted humanitarian visas in Australia after their elimination in the Asian Cup, the government in Canberra says.Immigration Minister Tony Burke reported the women “were moved to a safe location” by Australian police. He reported other squad members had been told they are welcome to stay in the country.The women had been due to fly home, but supporters had raised fears for their safety after the team declined to sing the national anthem ahead of their match against South Korea last week. This prompted criticism in Iran, with one conservative commentator accusing the team of being “wartime traitors” and pushing for harsh punishment.Australia’s humanitarian visa programme grants permanent protection to refugees and people in humanitarian need. Visa holders can live, work and study in the country.Speaking early on Tuesday, Burke reported the five players were happy for their names to be validated as Fatemeh Pasandideh, Zahra Ghanbari, Zahra Sarbali, Atefeh Ramazanzadeh, and Mona Hamoudi.”They want to be clear they are not political activists. They are athletes who want to be safe,” he reported, adding that talks had been going on over several days.He reported that on Monday “it was made clear that there were five women who wanted to be able to stay in Australia”.The group left their hotel the same day and were moved to a safe location by police.Burke reported he met the women at that location and then signed off for their applications to go onto humanitarian visas – a process completed at about 01:30 local time on Tuesday (15:30 GMT Monday).”I say to the other members of the team, the same opportunity is there. Australia has taken the Iranian women’s soccer team into our hearts. These women are tremendously popular in Australia. “But we realise they are in a terribly difficult situation with the decisions that they’re making,” the Australian minister reported.Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese later validated that the five players had been given humanitarian visas. On Sunday evening, hundreds of supporters surrounded the Iranian Lionesses’ coach as it left the stadium on the Gold Coast, with chants of “save our girls”.On Monday, the BBC witnessed dramatic scenes inside the team’s five- star hotel when several players left the lobby in a group after speaking to activists.Shortly after they departed, a second group – including a translator and the head coach – burst in looking panicked, and rushed through the hotel before returning to their rooms.A family member of one of the women – speaking on condition of anonymity – told Australian news site ABC they were being protected by police, and intended to claim asylum.”I want to kiss the hands of everyone who helped,” the unnamed relative told ABC.
