Three members of the Iranian women's football team have decided to return to Iran after being granted humanitarian visas in Australia. The players, Mona Hamoudi, Zahra Sarbali and a support staff member, left Australia for Kuala Lumpur to meet other team members returning to Tehran.
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said the trio were given repeated opportunities to discuss their options but chose to rejoin their team. '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,' he stated.
The seven players and staff initially sought asylum after being labelled 'traitors' by Iranian state television for not singing the national anthem at their opening match during the Women's Asian Cup. They feared persecution under Iran's penal code, which can impose lengthy prison sentences or the death penalty for treason.
Human rights activists expressed sadness at the news. Iranian-born Sydney councillor Tina Kordrostami claimed a staff member from the team's management passed on threats to the players' families. However, government sources said they have no reason to believe that is true.
