Australian Federal Police have reportedly prepared for more officers than usual to be stationed at Gold Coast Airport as the Iranian women’s soccer team arrive.
Five members of the soccer team have been granted humanitarian visas in Australia following their elimination in the Asian Cup – held in Australia from March 1 to 21.
The extra police at the airport will be ready to assist any other team members who wish to seek asylum, ABC reporter Tracey Holmes said on Tuesday afternoon.
Immigration Minister Tony Burke later confirmed the women had been granted humanitarian visas after urgent discussions between the players and Australian officials.
‘They want to be clear they are not political activists. They are athletes who want to be safe,’ Burke told News Corp.
The five women who sought protection have been identified as Fatemeh Pasandideh, Zahra Ghanbari, Zahra Sarbali, Atefeh Ramazanzadeh and Mona Hamoudi.
Unconfirmed online reports suggest a sixth player, Mohadeseh Zolfi, has also accepted a visa.
It’s rumoured Golnoosh Kholravi and Aafaneh Chatrian are also seeking to stay in Australia.
Iranian-Aussie immigration lawyer Ian Avayee told Daily Mail the two players, and another woman who had travelled to Australia with the group, did not want to return to Iran.
One of the players was trying to phone her mother back Iran to tell her of her decision before she made it official.
While the five players are now expected to remain in Australia under humanitarian protection, the fate of their teammates remains uncertain.
Australia had knocked back the visas of some officials, sources familiar with the matter told AAP, but there were concerns that handlers were coercing the remaining players to return to Iran and not apply for asylum.
The Home Affairs Department would not confirm how many visas were refused on security or character grounds, citing privacy restrictions.
‘The Department of Home Affairs works with law enforcement and intelligence partners to cancel or refuse visas of non-citizens who are at risk to Australia’s national security,’ a spokesperson said in a statement.
More to come…
