Name: Iranian women’s football players drop asylum bid in Australia | DW News
Uploaded: 2026-03-16T23:02:24.000Z
Duration: 5 min 39 s
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Australia says three more members of Iran's women's national football team who had sought asylum there have decided to return to Iran.

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Now, originally, seven team members had requested and were granted humanitarian visas.

They said they feared repercussions at home after Iranian state media called them traitors for remaining silent during the national anthem before their opening match at the Asian Cup.

Observers fear their families could face pressure if the players refused to return.

Australia's Minister for Emergency Management says her government is offering the players all the support they need.

I think our government's been very open with the Australian people about the steps that we've taken to ensure that these women in the Iranian soccer team and support staff had every opportunity to make their own decisions in this regard.

You know, I think we can all understand propaganda when we see it.

These women have a choice about what they want to do, and

that's something that's not often afforded to them in their own country.

All right, for more on this, let's bring in Nazanin Noor, who has been closely following the case of the Iranian players.

So seven Iranian players were granted asylum in Australia, but

now most of them say they want to return to Iran.

Well, from the information that I have from my contacts inside of Australia, the Iranians that were trying to help them, whether legally or otherwise, they say that their families have been threatened.

Reports have come back that family members of these women have been threatened.

Some of them reportedly as of just about a couple of hours ago, from the update I received, their whereabouts are unknown.

They have minders with them at all times.

They're not allowed to talk to foreign press without guidance.

So this is something that we've seen a lot and we're very concerned for the well being of these girls because we also received an update that a fifth member that reportedly defected is choosing to go back to Iran as well.

You know, this regime can choose to do anything.

When a state controlled television host goes on TV and tells people that these women should be treated as traitors and that their act is treasonous, those charges, if levied against anybody inside of the under the Islamic Republic inside of Iran, could carry an execution sentence.

And I'm not saying that's what happened to these women right now, but

that is something that could be a real possibility.

The Islamic Republic has executed athletes before, like champion wrestler Navid Afkari like champion martial artist Mohammed Mehdi Karami.

So, you know, their repression doesn't see beyond the profession of people or socioeconomic background.

So we're waiting to see what's going to happen to these girls and their families.

How about yourself as an Iranian American activist who has publicly criticized Tehran's tactics?

How, you know, have you or your family been targeted in any way?

As far as I know, I have not been targeted in any way.

I haven't had direct contact with most of my family members inside of Iran.

Right now, as you know, there's a regime imposed, total Internet blackout.

And as of just a few hours ago, we've received really concerning reports from inside the country, for those who have been able to circumvent the restrictions and connect to starlink, that the regime is also now taking the intranet.

So the Internet that just Iranians can use inside offline, which is extremely concerning, because every time the regime imposes this type of blackout, they slaughter, they massacre, they execute.

And we just came off of the massacre in January, which was the worst massacre of Iranians and Iran's contemporary history, according to historians and experts.

So a lot of us are very anxious and on edge as our families are, you know, under bombing from the US And Israel.

And also, you know, many Iranians are also hopeful that this could lead to regime change, but

they're under the danger of the bombs, they're under the danger of the Internet blackout, and

most importantly, they're under the danger of the Islamic Republic.

Which is why some people are wondering why the Australian government, you know, allow the girls to leave.

But I don't know what your take is on that.

The government says it has done everything possible for these women.

I believe, from what I know, yes, I know that the reports that came out from the hotel where the girls were staying, the footballers were staying, a lot of Iranian Australians and Australian government officials tried to go to the hotel to speak with them.

As far as I know, under the law in Australia, they can't actually do something.

They couldn't take action unless they were approached by the girls first.

And that's why so many people, you know, tried to go.

They surrounded their buses as they were leaving the hotel.

the minders and the hotel staff reportedly would not allow anybody to actually come speak with these girls.

Somehow some people were able to get into contact with them, and

they were able to receive word that, yes, we want to defect, and

that's when the government was able to step in and give them the humanitarian visa visas.

But right now, because they're under the threat of this regime, we're all very worried from what could happen to them.

And I know Australia really has tried very, very hard to get them to stay, but

there's only so much can do when your family is being threatened by a very brutal, murderous regime.

Nazanin Noor, thank you very much for speaking to us.