Australia grants asylum to members of the Iranian women’s football team

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Five members of the Iranian women’s football team have reportedly left their hotel in Australia and are being protected by local police. The players refused to sing their country’s national anthem last week ahead of their Asian Cup match. The decision was criticised by some inside Iran. One commentator branded them “wartime traitors”. Fears grew for the safety of the players after they were eliminated from the tournament on Sunday and faced returning home. Donald Trump has led the calls for them to be granted asylum, saying the US would take them in if Australia did not. Trump said that five of the players are now being “taken care of” but that others felt they needed to go back home, fearing retaliation against family members. This is far from the first time that athletes have tried to capitalise on being away from their country. Eritrea withdrew from the Fifa World Cup qualifiers in 2023 to avoid players seeking asylum abroad.