Iranian women’s team assisted by Australian Government after growing calls for intervention

At least five of the women from the Iranian national soccer team are being protected by Australian government officials, according to the Iranian-Australian community.

Just a day after some of the Lionesess squad, in Australia to play in the Women’s Asian Cup, were spotted signalling “SOS” hand signals from the team bus on the Gold Coast, community sources said at least five of the tourists sought safety with the support of the Australian government.

Grave fears are held for the women if they were to return to Iran after they mounted a public on field protest against their oppressive regime before their first game of Asian cup.

A broadcaster working for Iranian state TV last week branded the team “wartime traitors” for not singing the national anthem ahead of their first game of the Asian Cup.

They sang and saluted for the next two matches.

Iranian-Australian Shahrzad Shirkhanzadeh told The Nightly on Monday night that some players had been “moved somewhere safe” but Australian government officials were yet to confirm details of the escape mission.

“It’s only five girls so far, and the rest are still with the team,” she told The Nightly.

“Apparently, the (Iranian) officials took them to lobby and they were counting how many players are left, and they’re looking for those five girls.

“I’m not sure whether the girls (escaped) but the only thing I know is that they were in touch with government, and they protected them.

“I’m really grateful for the way that Australian Government been responsive to the matter as quickly as possible, because it’s been only a few days that we tried so hard in the media on everything just try to raise their voice and be their voice. And that really means a lot, I’m sure, for the girls as well.”

It is understood Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke flew to Brisbane on Monday night.

Home Affairs and the AFP did not respond to comment.

Ms Shirkhanzadeh said she had been asked to make the announcement on social media on Monday night, with several of the players told to keep tight-lipped about the situation.

“It’s not safe for them to go back to Iran, following the accusations made by the government TV in Iran. Obviously the safest option for them were to stay here, on the other hand, their families are under so many pressures from the Islamic Republic government,” she said.

“Some of them have families over there and their families on under pressure, so probably they prefer to be with their family at any cost, but it doesn’t mean that going back to Iran is safe for them, it will be a personal decision.

“I know they’ve been under so much pressure and it was a really, really hard decision to make (to reach out to the Australian Government) even though we all are sure that it’s not safe for any of them to go back.”

Supporters on Sunday night surrounded the team’s bus, chanting “Let them go,” as it left the stadium where the Lionesses lost 2-0 to the Philippines.

Some supporters believed one of the players made a hand sign for “help” in the bus window, News Corp reported, but The Nightly was unable to verify this given the tinted windows and night-time lighting in videos of the incident.

The footballers, trainers and their accompanying security were holed up in a Gold Coast hotel after the end of their Women’s Asian Cup campaign and with war raging in their home country.

Professional Footballers Australia chief executive Beau Busch, who is also the Asia/Oceania president of the international footballers’ association, said the union hadn’t been able to get in touch with the players while they were in Australia.

“That’s incredibly concerning,” he said on Monday.

The PFA is pressuring the Asian Football Confederation and global body FIFA to uphold their obligations to protect players’ human rights and ensure their safety, including as they return to their home countries.

It’s also lobbying the Federal Government.

“Our responsibility now is to continue to work as hard as we can … to ensure that every bit of pressure is applied to make sure that the players are safe, that they have some agency around what happens next, whether they’re able to stay here in Australia or if they do want to return, how do we do that safely,” Mr Busch said.

On Sunday, coach Marziyeh Jafari said the team “want to come back to Iran as soon as we can”, after having guarded her thoughts throughout the tournament.

“I want to be with my country and with all Iranians inside Iran. We are eager to come back,” she said via an interpreter after the match.

More than 65,000 people have signed a petition since Friday urging Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke to ensure that any player wishing to seek protection can do so “without interference from regime-associated officials or handlers”.

Exiled Iranian crown prince Reza Pahlavi also called for the government to ensure the players’ safety.

“The members of the Iranian Women’s National Football Team are under significant pressure and ongoing threat from the Islamic Republic,” he wrote on social media.

“As a result of their brave act of civil disobedience in refusing to sing the current regime’s national anthem, they face dire consequences should they return to Iran.”