More members of the Iranian women’s soccer team seek asylum as most of squad leaves Australia

By Christina Macfarlane, Ben Church, Hilary Whiteman, CNN

(CNN) — Seven members of the Iranian women’s soccer team have remained in Australia, while the rest of the squad has now left the country for Iran, a source has told CNN Sports.

Earlier on Tuesday, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed that five players had been granted humanitarian visas, amid fears over their safety should they return to Iran.

Now, a source close to the squad has told CNN Sports that another two members of the team – a player and a member of staff – have also sought asylum in Australia.

Meanwhile, the rest of the team is now believed to have left the country, heading back to Iran. It’s not yet clear which route they will take or when they will arrive.

An observer at the scene told CNN that people gathered outside the hotel where the squad was staying on Tuesday had tried to stop the team bus from leaving for Gold Coast Airport in Queensland, Australia.

The person at the hotel also said that one of the players looked to be crying as what appeared to be security guards escorted the team onto the bus.

How it started

The Iranian women’s soccer team was in Australia after playing in the Women’s Asian Cup last week, where it lost all three of its group stage matches to exit the tournament.

Before their first match of the tournament on March 2, the Lionesses players stood silent during the playing of their national anthem, a gesture they didn’t explain but one that was interpreted by some hardliners inside Iran as a sign of treason.

Sources close to the team told CNN Sports they were then forced under threats to their families to sing the national anthem ahead of their next two group games. There are now fears the squad will face persecution back in Iran.

On Tuesday, according to Iranian state media, Iran’s Attorney General’s office encouraged the women’s team to return home.

“Some hardworking members of our women’s national football team—who are children of this very land—acted unintentionally, influenced by emotional provocation stemming from enemy schemes and mischief,” the statement said.

It added: “They are invited to return to their homeland with calm and confidence. By doing so, they can not only ease the concerns of their families but also stand alongside the great and admirable people of Iran in confronting the conspiracies of the enemies of our beloved country.”

Meanwhile, Iran’s Minister of Sports Ahmad Donyamali said that “enemies” had tried to “distract” the players from returning home with “tempting offers.”

“They are now returning to their homeland and the warm embrace of their families,” he added on Tuesday, without providing any details.

Global concern

After the loss in their final match of the tournament on Sunday, supporters crowded around the team bus, shouting at police to “save our girls” as it pulled away.

Hadi Karimi, a human rights advocate and member of the local Iranian community, said supporters outside the bus could clearly see at least three players inside making the international hand signal for help.

However, a source close to the team expressed scepticism to CNN that the team members would know what the sign represents.

On Monday, CNN reported that at least seven members of the team had left their Gold Coast hotel, with five of those eventually applying for asylum with the Australian Federal Police. Sports journalist Raha Pourbakhsh told CNN Sports that the families of three of those five players had been threatened.

Craig Foster, a former Australian international and human rights advocate, said “a vast range of organizations” had tried to speak with the women during their time in Australia but had been denied the opportunity.

He said as the players had been knocked out of the Women’s Asian Cup, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), which organizes the tournament, had a responsibility for their welfare.

CNN has reached out to the AFC for comment.

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CNN’s Michael Rios and Patrick Sung contributed reporting.