Why has Australia granted asylum to Iran’s 5 women football players amid ‘wartime traitors’ threat

At least five members of Iran’s women’s football team have been granted humanitarian visas in Australia after they were eliminated from the Asian Cup, the government in Canberra said. The five of the 13-member squad were granted asylum by the Australian government on Monday amid apprehension that they would be persecuted if they return to Tehran. An ABC News report stated that at least seven members of Iran’s women soccer team have sought asylum in Australia. The Australian police moved Iranian women football players “to a safe location,” Immigration Minister Tony Burke said. The minister added that other team members of the squad have been informed that they were welcome to stay in the country. ## Soccer players labelled ‘wartime traitors’ As Iran’s women football team participated in the Asian Cup being held in Australia, the players refused to sing the Islamic country’s national anthem and stayed silent before the side’s Asian Cup opener against South Korea earlier this week and the soccer team was labelled as “wartime traitors” by an Iranian state television presenter, New York Times reported. > 🟥جان تیم ملی فوتبال زنان ایران در خطر است.محمدرضا شهبازی مجری امنیتی تلویزیون حکومتی جمهوری اسلامی به طور رسمی تیم ملی فوتبال زنان ایران را به خاطر نخواندن سرود ملی به خیانت متهم کرد و خواستار مجازات آنها به عنوان خائن در دوران جنگ شد.مجازات اتهام خیانت در دوران جنگ در ایران… pic.twitter.com/L4GxaOHTBZ— Ali Bornaei (@abornaei) March 5, 2026 🟥جان تیم ملی فوتبال زنان ایران در خطر است.محمدرضا شهبازی مجری امنیتی تلویزیون حکومتی جمهوری اسلامی به طور رسمی تیم ملی فوتبال زنان ایران را به خاطر نخواندن سرود ملی به خیانت متهم کرد و خواستار مجازات آنها به عنوان خائن در دوران جنگ شد.مجازات اتهام خیانت در دوران جنگ در ایران… pic.twitter.com/L4GxaOHTBZ The state TV presenter Mohammad Reza Shahbazi, in a video which has since gone viral on social media, called out the Iranian women football team players and said the team members should be dealt with “severely” for “dishonour and lack of patriotism”. Australia’s humanitarian visa programme grants protection to refugees and people who are in humanitarian need. Those who receive the visa, can live, study and work in the country, BBC reported. ## How did Iranian women soccer team escape hotel? Discussions for asylum had been ongoing for several days when the Iranian football team members refused to sing the national anthem as supporters raised fears for their safety. Minister Burke, who was at the airport, said that border force officials made several representations to the team before departing Sydney. > Last night I was able to tell five women from the Iranian Women’s Soccer team that they are welcome to stay in Australia, to be safe and have a home here. pic.twitter.com/2JQp9q9Z8W— Tony Burke (@Tony_Burke) March 9, 2026 Last night I was able to tell five women from the Iranian Women’s Soccer team that they are welcome to stay in Australia, to be safe and have a home here. pic.twitter.com/2JQp9q9Z8W After five Iranian women football players confirmed their consent to seek asylum in the country, the Australian police extracted the players from the team’s hotel and moved them to a safe location here they remain under Australian Federal Police’s protection. The women Iranian players who were granted asylum are: • Zahra Sarbali Alishah • Mona Hamoudi • Atefeh Ramezanizadeh • Fatemeh Pasandideh Several supporters had gathered outside the Sydney International Airport on Tuesday and crowds broke into cheers as unconfirmed news spread that apart from five players who have already sought asylum, two more players had chosen to stay in Australia, ABC News reported. The report further added that teh remaining Iranian team departed Sydney on Tuesday evening for Kuala Lumpur.