ISTANBUL, March 17 : The Iranian women’s soccer team arrived in Istanbul on Tuesday on their way home from Malaysia, after five players withdrew the asylum claims they had lodged in Australia.
Australia had granted humanitarian visas to six players and one support staff member after they sought asylum, saying they feared persecution if they returned to Iran.
Concerns over their safety surfaced after several players failed to sing the national anthem at a women’s Asian Cup match earlier this month.
Five of the group have since changed their minds and decided to return home, with Australian media reporting the latest withdrawal on Monday.
They rejoined the rest of the squad in Kuala Lumpur, where the team had been staying since leaving Sydney last week, leaving only two players still in Australia.
The team’s Asian Cup campaign began just as the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran, killing Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. They were eliminated from the tournament over a week ago.
It was not clear how the team would continue their journey home to neighbouring Iran from Istanbul.
(Writing by Daren Butler; Editing by Ros Russell)
