GOLD COAST, Australia (AP) – Iran’s soccer team lost its final group game at the Women’s Asian Cup on Sunday and had to consider returning to a country embroiled in war.
The Iranian women’s national team arrived in Australia last month ahead of the continental championships. The war that began between the US and Israel was the attack on Iran on February 28th. Teams eliminated in the group stage usually leave within a few days.
their Silence during the national anthem Last Monday’s opening loss to South Korea was seen by some as an act of defiance and by others as an expression of mourning. The team has not disclosed. However, the players They sang the national anthem and saluted during the national anthem. They lost 4-0 to Australia last Thursday and lost 2-0 to the Philippines on Sunday.
Amid concerns about the players’ welfare following negative reports in the Iranian media, the Australia-Iran Council has written to Australian Home Secretary Tony Burke urging the government to protect the players while in Australia.
The group launched an online petition, which gathered more than 50,000 electronic signatures before Sunday’s kick-off, calling on Australian authorities to provide independent legal advice, support and interpretation “to ensure that Iranian women’s national football team players do not leave Australia unless there remain valid safety concerns.”
Iran’s team management and players have largely refused to comment on the situation in the country for more than a week as they prepare for and play matches on Australia’s Gold Coast. Sarah Didal fought back tears. At a press conference last Wednesday, she spoke of her concern for her family, friends and all Iranians during the conflict.
The online petition called on local authorities to ensure that athletes seeking protection “can do so safely, confidentially and without interference” and to “make clear that Australia upholds its humanitarian protection obligations to athletes who are at risk of persecution or serious harm.”
“Silence is not a neutral position when there is credible evidence that visiting athletes may face persecution, imprisonment, coercion, or worse upon their return,” it said. “The current wartime environment intensifies repression, fear, and increases the risks faced by those deemed publicly disloyal by the Islamic Republic.”
Foreign Minister Penny Wong declined to comment on whether the Australian government had contacted individuals, but told domestic media Australia stood in solidarity with the Iranian women’s team.
“For the Australians, it was really emotional to see them in Australia and it was a very emotional moment for (the Australian women’s team) to exchange jerseys with them,” Wong told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation on Sunday. “We know that this regime brutally oppresses many Iranian women.”
Iranian-Australian activist Tina Kordrostami, a local government member of Sydney’s Ryde Council, told The Australian that Iranian athletes “need an opportunity, a safe space, an opportunity to actually speak up about their needs and requirements.”
“Without government assistance, we can’t give them that space,” she says.
The Iranian women’s team needed to beat the Philippines on Sunday to maintain their chances of advancing to the Asian Cup quarter-finals, which would extend their stay in Australia by another week, but they suffered a tough loss in wet weather at Gold Coast Stadium, conceding goals to Sara Eggesvik in the 29th minute and Chandler McDaniel in the 82nd minute.
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AP Soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
