Players from Iran’s women’s soccer team sang and saluted during the national anthem before their final Women’s Asian Cup match at Australia’s Gold Coast Stadium, six days after their decision to remain silent during the anthem saw them branded “wartime traitors” on state television in their country.
The Iranians, whose plight has become a cause célèbre among human rights advocates in Australia, will not return to the tournament after a 2-0 loss to the Philippines in Queensland on Sunday.
Recommended stories
list of 3 itemsend of list
Their campaign in the continental competition began last weekend, just as the United States and Israel launched airstrikes against Iran on February 28, killing at least 1,332 people since then, including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
Iran’s team and management, who have expressed fears and concerns for their families in Iran, adopted a stoic attitude and chose not to sing their national anthem in the opening match against South Korea on Monday.
Their decision sparked criticism in Iran, with Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting host Mohammad Reza Shahbazi saying in a video that the players showed a lack of patriotism and that their actions amounted to the “pinnacle of dishonour.”
The Iranian team chanted Mehr-e Khavaran (Eastern Sun) before their second loss against the host nation on Thursday, sparking fears among Australian human rights activists that they had been coerced by government minders.
No public reason was given for the players’ original stance on the pregame national anthem.
“Credible security fears”
A petition launched on Friday on the Change.org website urging Australia to shelter the team had gathered more than 51,000 signatures by late Sunday. The petition called on Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke to ensure the team does not leave Australia “while credible fears for their safety remain”, but Burke’s office has not commented on the petition.
The petition called on local authorities to ensure that any player seeking protection “can do so safely, privately and without interference” and to “make clear that Australia will meet its…humanitarian protection obligations in relation to any player at risk of persecution or serious harm.”
“When there is credible evidence that visiting athletes may face persecution, imprisonment, coercion or worse upon their return, silence is not a neutral position,” he said. “The current war environment has intensified the repression, fear and risks faced by anyone publicly perceived as disloyal to the Islamic Republic.”
Australian Iranian activist Tina Kordrostami, a local government member of Sydney’s Ryde Council, told The Australian newspaper that Iranian players “need an opportunity, a safe space, an opportunity to really talk about what their needs are and what their requirements are.”
“We can’t give them that space without the government helping us,” he said.
Speaking to national broadcaster ABC ahead of Sunday’s match, Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong was asked about the prospect of the team returning home.
“I want to say about the Iranian women’s team that it has been really moving for Australians to see them in Australia,” she said.
Wong added that seeing the Australian players exchanging shirts with their Iranian opponents was “a very evocative moment”.
“He talked about solidarity and the way sport can bring us together,” he said.
“We know that this regime has brutally oppressed many Iranian women. Obviously, this is a regime that we know has brutally repressed its people.”
The United States and Israel continued their large-scale attacks on Iran for the ninth day as the conflict has expanded to include the Gulf region as well as Lebanon and Iraq.
Players’ union FIFPRO had previously called on the Asian Football Confederation and world football’s governing body FIFA to fulfill their human rights obligations and take all necessary measures to ensure the safety of the Iranian team following the broadcast.
Team Iran finished their campaign without a win, also losing 3-0 to South Korea and 4-0 to Australia to finish last in Group A with nine goals conceded and none scored.
Matildas earn late draw with South Korea
Australia’s Alanna Kennedy scored her second goal in added time to earn a 3-3 draw against South Korea, but it was not enough to prevent their opponents from topping Group A.
The South Koreans, who sealed first place thanks to their scoring superiority in the three group games, will return to Stadium Australia in Sydney on Saturday to play the quarterfinals against a third-place team from one of the other first-round groups.
Meanwhile, the Matildas will have to travel across Australia to play North Korea or reigning champions China in the quarter-finals at Perth’s Rectangular Stadium on Friday.
