Iran state media says two more footballers pull Australia asylum bids

People feared for the safety of seven delegation members after they refused to sing Iran's national anthem. Read more at straitstimes.com.

PARIS - Two more players of the Iranian women’s football team, which competed in the Asian Cup in Australia, and one member of the backroom staff have withdrawn their requests for asylum in the country, Iranian state media said on March 14.

Seven members of the visiting women’s football delegation – six players and one backroom staff member – had sought sanctuary in Australia after they were branded “traitors” at home for refusing to sing the national anthem during the ongoing war between Iran and the US and its ally Israel.

One of the players had withdrawn her request earlier in the week and linked up with the rest of the team who are returning to Iran via Malaysia, according to Iranian media and Australian authorities.

State broadcaster IRIB said on March 14 that “two players and a member of the technical staff of the women’s national football team, have given up on their asylum application in Australia and are currently heading to Malaysia.”

It posted a picture of the three women – wearing the Islamic hijab – as they were apparently about to board a plane.

The rest of the team are believed to still be in the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur awaiting their return to Iran.