The coach of the Iranian women’s football team, Marziyeh Jafari, declared this Wednesday (4) that her team, which is in Australia participating in the Asian Cup, is “very worried” about their families in the country, target of bombings since Saturday (28), and that her players are “completely disconnected” from the tournament.
In preparation to face hosts Australia in Gold Coast on Thursday (5), after a 3-0 defeat to South Korea in their debut, the team will return to the field knowing that their country has been bombed by the United States and Israel, attacks that took the life of the supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Without access to the internet, the members of the Iranian delegation have no news about their family and friends.
“Obviously we are very worried about our families, our loved ones and everyone else in our country,” said the coach, highlighting the difficulties of thinking in the sporting sphere.
“We came here to play professional football and we will do everything possible to concentrate on the match ahead”, he highlighted.
Despite everything, Jafari expressed gratitude for the support they received from Iranians living in Australia. “We are very happy that the Iranian-Australians here support us,” he told the Australian press.
According to striker Sara Didar, 21, Asian football officials offered “all the support and assistance” to their team, which arrived in Australia a few days before the start of the war.
Iran made a historic debut in the last Asian Cup, held in India in 2022, which transformed the players into national heroines in a country where women’s rights are severely restricted.
