Donald Trump says Australia has taken care of some Iranian women football players

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WASHINGTON – US President Donald Trump on March 9 said Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told him five members of the Iranian national women’s football team had been “taken care of” amid fears they could be punished.

Australia’s SBS News earlier said five players had “broken free” after the team was eliminated from the Women’s Asian Cup tournament and were now under the protection of the federal police, seeking assistance from the government.

The BBC reported that the quintet had taken refuge in a safe house.

“Five have already been taken care of, and the rest are on their way,” Mr Trump said in a Truth Social Post after talking to Mr Albanese. “Some, however, feel they must go back because they are worried about the safety of their families, including threats to those family members if they don’t return.” 

Global players’ union Fifpro had said on March 9 there were serious concerns for the welfare of the Iran women’s football team, as they prepared to return home after being labelled “wartime traitors” for refusing to sing their national anthem before a Women’s Asian Cup match.

The Iranians’ campaign in the Australian-hosted tournament started on March 2 just as the US and Israel launched air strikes on Iran, killing the Islamic Republic’s former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

The team were eliminated on March 8 after losing 2-0 to the Philippines.

Fans waved the pre-1979 Iranian flag, booed the national anthem and tried to prevent the team bus from leaving afterwards, chanting “Save our girls!” amid concerns for their safety after their anthem silence.

More than 66,000 people have also signed a petition calling on the Australian government to ensure the players, who are on the Gold Coast in Queensland, do not leave “while credible fears for their safety remain”.

Fifpro president for Asia and Oceania Beau Busch said the union had been unable to contact the players to discuss whether they would like to seek asylum in Australia.

“The reality at the moment is that we’re unable to get in touch with the players. That’s incredibly concerning. That’s not a new thing. That’s really been since the repression really dialled up in February, January,” Busch told reporters.

“So we’re really concerned about the players, but our responsibility right now is to do everything within our power to try and make sure that they’re safe.”

Busch said the organisation was working with FIFA, the Asian Football Confederation and the Australian government to ensure that “every bit of pressure is applied” to protect the players and give them “agency around what happens next”.

He said: “It’s a really challenging situation. There may be players that want to return. There may be some players within the group that would like to seek asylum and would like to stay in Australia for longer.”

The players’ decision to stand in silence during Iran’s anthem before their first match against South Korea was labelled by a commentator on Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting as the “pinnacle of dishonour”.

“Traitors during wartime must be dealt with more severely,” presenter Mohammad Reza Shahbazi said.

When they sang the anthem and saluted before their second match against Australia, it sparked fears among human rights campaigners that the team had been coerced by government minders.

Iran coach Marziyeh Jafari has said they were keen to return home. “We are very impatiently waiting to return,” she said during a post-match press conference.

Most of the airspace in the Middle East remains closed as a result of the war.

When asked about whether Australia would grant the players asylum, Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Matt Thistlethwaite said the government could not “go into individual circumstances for privacy reasons”.

“Anyone that seeks to come to Australia or applies for a visa obviously must meet the conditions, but I can’t go into the specifics of details,” he told Sky News.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong on March 8 declined to comment on whether Canberra had been in direct contact with the players.

Australia’s shadow attorney-general Julian Leeser on March 8 urged the centre-left government to provide asylum to the Iranian team, saying it “should not turn a blind eye to the danger these women face”, according to a statement.

US-based Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of Iran’s late last Shah and a prominent opposition figure, lent his voice to a growing chorus calling for Australia to offer the women asylum, joining politicians, human rights activists and even Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling.

Australia granted humanitarian visas to more than 20 members of Afghanistan women’s cricket team when the Taliban returned to power in 2021 and banned women’s sport. Some have since rebuilt their careers in exile, including in Australia.

In on-pitch action on March 9, defending champions China fought back from a goal down to beat North Korea 2-1 and top Group B and Uzbekistan sealed their quarter-final place with a 4-0 win over Bangladesh.

North Korea, second in the group, will face Group A runners-up Australia in the last eight on March 13. China, who won all their games, will play the second-placed team in Group C on March 14.

Uzbekistan, will face either of South Korea or the Group C winners. REUTERS, BLOOMBERG, AFP