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An Iranian women’s soccer player reportedly refused to board her team’s departing flight in Australia Tuesday, making a dramatic last-minute appeal to remain in the country as several of her teammates pursue asylum.
The unidentified athlete stepped away from the boarding line at Sydney Airport shortly before departure, according to local reports, as the rest of the Iranian squad prepared to leave following their participation in the Women’s Asia Cup.
Officials said the player was not compelled to get on the aircraft.
Her decision comes as multiple members of the national team attempt to stay in Australia, claiming they fear punishment if they return to Iran during escalating regional tensions and growing scrutiny from authorities back home.
Another teammate has also begun the process of seeking protection, bringing the number of players attempting to remain abroad to seven.
Five of them — Fatemeh Pasandideh, Zahra Ghanbari, Zahra Sarbali, Atefeh Ramazanzadeh and Mona Hamoudi — were already granted humanitarian visas after leaving the team’s hotel on the Gold Coast under police supervision earlier this week.
The group reportedly requested assistance from Australian authorities after facing backlash in Iran for refusing to sing their national anthem before a match against South Korea during the tournament’s opening round.
State-aligned media in Iran criticized the athletes for their silence during the anthem, accusing them of disloyalty at a time of heightened conflict in the region.
While some players later sang the anthem in subsequent matches, observers speculated the change may have come after pressure from officials traveling with the team.
Australia’s Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said government representatives met privately with the remaining squad members before their scheduled departure to ensure they could make their decisions without outside influence.
“Each member of the team was given the opportunity to speak with officials individually and make their own choice,” Burke said, emphasizing that no pressure was placed on the athletes.
Players were also allowed to contact family members before deciding whether to leave. Concerns about the team’s safety intensified after supporters in the stadium called out for help following the team’s elimination from the tournament, with some activists claiming a player even signaled the word “help” from the team bus as it departed.
