Iranian football players who sought asylum in Australia say anthem silence was protest against Tehran
Two Iranian women's football players who sought asylum in Australia have confirmed that their silence during the national anthem at a March match was a protest against the Iranian government. The athletes cited the brutal crackdown on domestic protests as the reason for their dissent and their subsequent decision to seek refuge.
Why it matters
The case highlights the intersection of sports, human rights, and the political risks faced by athletes protesting against authoritarian regimes.
Two members of the Iranian women's football team who claimed asylum in Australia have confirmed that their pivotal refusal to sing the national anthem during the Women's Asian Cup in March was a protest against Tehran.
The first media interview with Atefeh Ramezanisadeh, 34, and Fatemeh Pasandideh, 22, since they abandoned their team to become refugees was broadcast Sunday on Australia's "60 Minutes" current affairs program.
"We just wanted to stand with our people. I was scared at times, but I just tried to do what was right and say that no one should be killed just for protesting," Ramezanisadeh told Nine Network through an interpreter.
The team was criticised in Iran and branded as traitors in the media there for remaining silent when the Iranian national anthem was played ahead of their opening loss against South Korea on March 2.
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