The unfolding story of the 13-member Iranian women’s football team far outshone the actual matches being played at the Asian Women’s Cup in Australia this month.
As their tense final days in Australia played out, the world watched to see whether these courageous and talented young women would choose to seek asylum in Australia – potentially risking the lives of their families back at home – or return to Iran, risking their own. Seven team members originally sought asylum but gradually a number of them changed their minds. At time of writing, two remain in a safe house in Australia.
Why were the Iranian women in danger?
As Israeli and American bombs rained down on their homeland, members of the Iranian women’s football team (known as the Lionesses) chose not to sing their national anthem at their first game, against South Korea, in the Women’s Asian Cup. That raised concern amongst human rights groups and the Iranian diaspora in Australia about potential reactions from authorities in Iran.
Their suspicions were confirmed when footage emerged of Mohammad Reza Shahbazi, a commentator on Iranian state television, describing the players as “traitors”.
“I must emphasise,” he said, “that traitors during wartime should be dealt with more severely.”
Under the Islamic Republic’s penal code, treason can be punished by long prison sentences or the death penalty.
Those worries were exacerbated when the team did sing the anthem in their two subsequent matches. Onlookers surmised that they felt it would be dangerous not to do so.
The final countdown
Members of the Iranian community and human rights advocates followed the women from their matches to their hotels, trying to speak to team members without their minders to check on their safety and explain the process of applying for asylum.
The Iranian community also lobbied the Federal Government.
On March 8, when the Lionesses lost their game in Brisbane to the Philippines and were officially out of the competition, the clock began ticking in earnest. Several team members were seen making the international hand gesture for help as they looked out of the team’s bus. A crowd surrounded the bus, chanting, “Save our girls”.
An impossible choice
The government swung into action and arranged private meetings with the women, both in their Brisbane hotel and later at the airport.
There, according to Minister for Immigration Tony Burke, “every single member of that team was put in a situation where they were just with Home Affairs officials, where the people who might put pressure on them were nowhere near them at all, and they were given a choice.”
“People could contact family members,” he added. “They had all the time that they needed, and we also made sure that there wasn’t pressure from us. We never told anyone it was time to end the meeting. If people wanted to stay and keep talking and miss that plane, they had agency to do that, as well.
“What we made sure of was that there was no rushing. There was no pressure. Everything was about ensuring the dignity for those individuals to make a choice.”
For the women, however, this was a near-impossible choice. To risk their own lives by returning to Iran or to remain here, knowing that members of their family could be targeted.
In the end, six women chose to stay – five players and one member of the team’s support staff.
The remaining Iranian players flew out of Sydney International Airport to Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday evening. From there, they will eventually make their way back to the war zone that is Iran.
Which Lionesses have been granted visas?
Five of the 13-player squad were granted asylum – captain Zahra Ghanbari, and teammates Fatemeh Pasandideh, Zahra Sarbali, Atefeh Ramezanizadeh and Mona Hamoudi. And one staff member, Zahra Soltan Meshkeh Kar. Another member of the team, 21-year-old Moadesa Zulfi, initially indicated she wanted to remain in Australia but changed her mind at the last minute and boarded the plane with her team.
“In Australia, people are able to change their mind,” Tony Burke later told Parliament. “We respect the context in which she had made that decision.”
What type of visas do they have?
The Australian Government has granted the team members who remained here temporary humanitarian visas. These are subclass 449, which are valid for 12 months and offer temporary protection, as well as a pathway to permanent residency. This is the same type of visa that has previously been granted to Ukrainians, Palestinians and people from Afghanistan.
The government has confirmed that all the Iranian women who have been granted asylum were thoroughly investigated by ASIO.
A change of heart
However, three of those team members later put in requests to return to their team, which is still waiting in Malaysia for safe passage to Iran. Players Mona Hamoudi, Zahra Sarbali, and the support staff member left Australia for Kuala Lumpur a week after they were first granted asylum.
“While the Australian government can ensure that opportunities are provided and communicated, we cannot remove the context in which the players are making these incredibly difficult decisions,” said Tony Burke.
A warm welcome for the Iranian women
The decision to grant the players humanitarian visas has been roundly welcomed in Australia.
The Refugee Council of Australia’s CEO, Paul Power, said: “Granting protection to these players acknowledges the very real risks they could face if they were forced to return home. Australia’s protection system exists for exactly these kinds of situations, to ensure that people who face serious harm if returned to their country have the opportunity to seek safety and have their claims properly considered.”
There are more than 85,000 Iranians living in Australia, and they have also reached out to the women, offering the support of their tight-knit community.
The women’s soccer community has also welcomed the escaped Lionesses with open arms. The Brisbane Roar posted on social media that they had “immense admiration” for the “passionate, talented women” seeking refuge in Australia … Brisbane is home to one of the country’s most passionate football communities, and the Roar family has a big heart.
“We’d be honoured to open our doors and offer you a place to train, play, and belong and will begin to explore how to make this happen.
“No politics. No conditions. Just football, community, and a warm welcome. Queensland is your home now.”
