The president of the United States, , asked this Monday that Australia give asylum to five Iranian soccer players who refused to sing their country’s anthem at the beginning of the month in an Asian Cup match and that, According to Australian media, they have defected from the Iranian delegation.
“will welcome them if you don’t,” Trump said this Monday in a message on the Truth Social network addressed to the Australian Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese.
Trump has referred to the situation of the athletes and has assured that the Australian authorities would commit a “terrible humanitarian mistake” if they allow the players to be forced to return to Iran where, according to the US president, “They will most likely be killed.”
Fatemé Pasandidé, Zahra Ghanbari, Zahra Sarbali, Atefé Ramazanzadé and Mona Hamudi refused to sing the Iranian anthem during a match against South Korea on March 2 in the Women’s Asian Cup.
The players They were described as “traitors” on Iranian state televisionso there was growing concern that they would suffer reprisals upon returning to their country.
In this context, the Australian public television network ABC reported this Monday that the five soccer players plan to request asylum in Australia after placing themselves under the protection of the Queensland police.
For his part, the New South Wales Anti-Slavery Commissioner, James Cockayne, has called for urgent investigations. possible crimes of modern slavery in relation to the rest of the players on the teamsince it claims they are being forced to return to Iran, which is why it has asked to start a process to grant visas to those affected in a letter to the Australian authorities.
Bombings continue on the Islamic Republic
Trump’s statements come when The war launched by Washington and Israel against Iran is already advancing into its second weekwhile the bombings continue on the Islamic Republic, which has responded with attacks on Arab countries with a US military presence.
At the moment, neither the Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, nor the head of Immigration, Tony Burke, have commented on this issue, and the Foreign Minister, Penny Wong, avoided commenting directly on the request this Sunday during an interview with a public channel.
Several human rights organizations have denounced the situation of the Iranian team and the threat they face if they return to the country, while the FIFPRO players’ union for Asia/Oceania called this Monday “guarantee the safety” of the players.
The qualification of the Persian team for the women’s Asian Cup, the first since 2002, has been celebrated by activists who defend gender equality, especially due to the oppression imposed by the Iranian regime on women, such as the mandatory use of the veil in public spaces.
