Seven players have left the Iranian women's national football team and are reportedly under police protection in Australia, according to SVT Sport, citing The Athletic and CNN. The players reportedly left the team's hotel after their final match in the Asian Cup. Witnesses described scenes after Iran's match against the Philippines in Gold Coast, where hundreds of people surrounded the team bus, tried to stop it, and chanted slogans like 'save our girls', with several players allegedly signaling for help through the bus windows, as reported by Dagens Nyheter and The Guardian.
The bus continued to the hotel in what witnesses described as a 'kidnapping'. S. and Israel.
save our girls
S. President Donald Trump has urged Australia to grant asylum to all Iranian players, stating on Truth Social that it would be a 'terrible humanitarian mistake' to force them to return to Iran, where they reportedly risk 'fatal consequences'. S.
would accept them if Australia does not. Reza Pahlavi, son of Iran's overthrown shah, has also called on the Australian government to guarantee their safety and support. Players had previously refrained from singing the national anthem during a match, which led to them being labeled 'traitors' on Iranian state TV, according to sources.
it would be a 'terrible humanitarian mistake' to force them to return to Iran, where they reportedly risk 'fatal consequences'
In later matches, all players reportedly sang and saluted during the anthem, leading to speculation of threats. Human rights organizations and activists have appealed to Australia to ensure the players' safety and asylum options, with Amnesty International stating that returning to Iran could lead to arrest and prosecution. Journalists have had limited access to the team during the tournament.