Five members of the Iranian women’s football team have been taken into the protection of police in Australia after refusing to return to their home country following the team’s elimination from the Women’s Asian Cup, according to reports.
Speculation had mounted for days that some of the players would try to seek asylum in Australia after reports that they had been called “traitors” for refusing to sing their national anthem before their opening game of the tournament last week.
On Monday there was a tense standoff at the team hotel on the Gold Coast in Queensland, where anti-Iranian regime protesters gathered as the players prepared to board a bus taking them to the airport for their return flight to Iran.
On Monday night it was reported that five of the players had slipped their regime minders and were being sheltered by the Australian federal police.
Citing sources within the Australian-Iranian community, Nine newspapers reported that the women were “receiving support” from police. “Police have taken them somewhere safe,” Hadi Karimi, a Brisbane-based human rights activist, told Nine. “It’s great, it’s amazing.”
There were “chaotic scenes” at the Royal Pines hotel, according to news.com, as minders rushed into the lobby looking for the women.
The news.com report said that the Department of Home Affairs had begun processing asylum claims by the women after “secret talks” with the players, when their 2-0 defeat to the Philippines in Robina on Sunday night meant they were out of the tournament.
It was also reported that the home affairs minister, Tony Burke, flew to Queensland on Monday to speak to the players and that he would make a statement on Tuesday.
The Department of Home Affairs was contacted for comment.
James Cockayne, antinti-slavery commissioner for New South Wales, wrote to the chief of the Australian Federal Police, Krissy Barrett, on Monday night referring the players’ case for immediate investigation as suspected “exit trafficking”.
The referral letter says “the attempted coercion of the Iranian women’s football team to leave Australia could be a crime under Australian law” and her urges Barrett to investigate and “prevent suspects leaving Australia”.
Protesters briefly blocked the team bus leaving the stadium on Sunday, waving the international sign for help at the players – a fist closed with thumb underneath the four fingers, then opened again.
It appeared that some of the players tried to return the gesture.
‘Save our girls’: support shown for Iran players after exit from Women’s Asian Cup – video
A Fifa spokesperson said: “The safety and security of Iran’s women’s national team are Fifa’s priority, and we therefore remain in close contact with … the relevant Australian authorities, including Football Australia, in relation to the team’s situation.”