Five members of the Iranian women’s soccer team who were accused of being “traitors” on Iranian state television after refusing to sing the country’s national anthem during the Asia Cup have withdrawn their claims for asylum in Australia. The group initially sought humanitarian assistance Down Under over fears of persecution in their home nation.
While the players have not publicly explained their refusal to sing the anthem, the move is widely interpreted as a protest against the Iranian regime. Iran is notoriously vicious toward women and girls, who, the United Nations has said, are treated as “second-class citizens.” They are often “depriv[ed] of their autonomy and human dignity” through rampant domestic violence, “marriages” involving girls as young as 10 years old, and institutional discrimination. But with President Donald Trump’s Operation Epic Fury underway, the oppression of women in Iran may finally be coming to an end.
Iranian Soccer Players Show ‘Extraordinary Courage’
The Iranian women soccer players who refused to sing the national anthem are said to be under constant supervision, with a man allegedly linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) among those assigned to guard the team. The athletes were reportedly forced to sing and salute before another soccer match, and Australian Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke acknowledged the women are facing “incredibly difficult decisions” after Iranian officials allegedly threatened the players’ families.
Tina Kordrostami, an Iranian-Australian human rights advocate, said the athletes showed “extraordinary courage” in their refusal to sing the national anthem.
“For many athletes around the world, refusing to sing a national anthem might be interpreted as a political gesture, but for Iranian athletes, it can carry very serious consequences,” Kordrostami said. “Inside Iran, women athletes cannot freely criticize the regime. Their phones are monitored, their public speech is restricted, and even private communications can be scrutinized. Silence in that moment becomes one of the only ways they can communicate dissent to the world.”
The Iranian women’s soccer team has 26 competitors, but only six players and a support staff member accepted Australia’s refugee assistance. Most of the team recently traveled to Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia, and are expected to return to Iran.
Just two of the seven Iranian teammates who protested remain in Australia, and officials believe the five who withdrew their requests will join the team in Malaysia.
President Trump, who supported the players’ asylum requests, offered them safety in the United States earlier this month, warning in a post on Truth Social that the athletes will “most likely be killed” if they return to Iran. The Middle Eastern nation has been under a barrage of strikes since the United States launched a joint operation with Israel to take down the oppressive Iranian regime.
All Female Athlete Protests Aren’t Created Equal
For years, American athletes have been praised as heroes for refusing to sing – or even respect – “The Star-Spangled Banner.” Perhaps most notably, Megan Rapinoe, a former professional soccer player who competed for Team USA and the US women’s national soccer team, repeatedly ignored the national anthem before soccer matches, often taking a knee in lieu of participating in the patriotic song.
Unlike the Iranian soccer players, Rapinoe didn’t face the threat of violence, prison, or financial ruin for her defiance. In fact, one could argue she benefited greatly from badmouthing the United States. Rapinoe’s net worth is an estimated $5 million, and she has racked up a long list of brand sponsorships over the years, including that of Visa, Nike, and Hulu.
The women soccer players who defied the Iranian government, on the other hand, knew there was real risk involved in publicly demonstrating against the Islamic Republic. They live under the brutal Iranian regime and have seen firsthand the atrocities it has committed against women. Yet they stood their ground in a remarkable act of courage. Perhaps Visa, Nike, and Hulu should give them a call.
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