The remainder of the Iranian women’s soccer team have departed Sydney and are enroute to the Middle East – as it’s understood more team members have been granted asylum.
Trouble for the women began last Monday, March 2, when they refused to sing Iran’s national anthem before a match against South Korea on the Gold Coast during the Asia Cup – just days after the conflict between the US and Iran broke out.
Australia offered the teammates humanitarian visas after word of their protest reached Iran, triggering major backlash.
One conservative commentator in Iran labelled the group ‘wartime traitors’ and called for harsh punishment, fuelling fears the women would be persecuted if they returned home.
Five players accepted the visa offer soon after Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke visited their Gold Coast hotel and split with the rest of the team, who travelled to Sydney on Tuesday evening to catch a flight out of the country.
Daily Mail understands two more players and one procurement manager have since accepted asylum and did not get on the Malaysia Airlines plane out of Australia when it left about 10.45pm Tuesday, following a lengthy delay at the gate.
A number of players were ‘tearful’ and embraced one another as they boarded the flight, while anti-regime protesters at Sydney Airport broke into cheers on hearing that more members of the squad had sought asylum.
Concerns had also been raised after footage also emerged on Tuesday of one player being dragged by the hand to leave their Gold Coast hotel.
The Iranian women’s soccer team have left Australia (pictured are the women disembarking a flight from the Gold Coast to Sydney to catch a transfer bus to their international flight)
The women were offered humanitarian visas after they refused to sing Iran’s national anthem at a match in Australia on March 2
The players caught a flight out of Sydney to Kuala Lumpur and then onto the Middle East
A group of Iranians living in Australia claimed there has been immense pressure for the women to return to Iran.
While confined to a hotel in Brisbane and under the watch of officials from the Islamic Republic, one team member reportedly responded to a message from the group and claimed ‘they have taken all our families hostage,’ The Australian reported.
That pressure was seemingly on display when protesters gathered outside the team’s hotel in hopes of stopping their bus from reaching Gold Coast Airport.
Witnesses recalled seeing staff dragging teammates onto the bus.
Extra Australian Federal Police officers as well as government officials were stationed at the airport to support the women in case they decided to accept the humanitarian visas at the last minute.
Alongside them were demonstrators urging the women to stay in Australia.
The team and their staff touched down in Sydney about 8.15pm on a flight from the Gold Coast and disembarked behind all other passengers about 8.30pm.
They were accompanied by 12 AFP officers onto a waiting bus.
Passenger Courtnee, who was on the team’s flight from the Gold Coast to Sydney, said the players had boarded the Qantas flight first.
Demonstrators in Sydney urged the women to accept the visas
A message, reportedly from one of the team mates, claimed they would not accept the visas as their families were being held ‘hostage’
Protesters and police greeted the women at Sydney International Airport (above)
Demonstrators gathered at Sydney Airport to show their support for the women
Passenger Courtnee (above), who was aboard the team’s transfer flight from the Gold Coast to Sydney, told Daily Mail the captain made a heartwarming speech
Dozens of supporters gathered at the entrance of Sydney International Airport on Tuesday night
Demonstrators showed their solidarity
Earlier on Tuesday protesters attempted to stop a bus leaving the players’ Gold Coast hotel
One player appeared to be led by the hand onto the bus by a teammate
She told Daily Mail that many travellers were touched by the flight’s ‘beautiful atmosphere’, created in part by the captain’s touching tribute to the players.
‘The captain made a really beautiful announcement about how important it is we look after each other and the situation in the world at the moment,’ Courtnee said through tears.
‘The mood on the plane was really nice, everyone applauded the pilot and everyone was nice and really great.’
The players were ‘keeping composed, keeping together’ in the first few rows of economy seating.
‘People waved goodbye, said things. I said ‘I wish you the best luck with your lives’,’ Courtnee said.
A total of 14 heavily-armed police officers – eight women and six men – waited alongside the team for their international flight.
It’s understood their first leg is an eight-and-a-half-hour trip to Kuala Lumpur.
The flight, MH140, had been due to take off at 10.15pm but was delayed.
