Another 3 members of Iran’s women’s soccer team decide against staying in Australia as refugees

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Three members of Iran’s women’s football team who accepted refugee visas to stay in Australia have also decided to return to their homeland, an Australian government minister said Sunday.

The departure left three of the original seven team members remaining in Australia.

“Three members of the Iran Women’s Football Team decided overnight to join the rest of the team on the return trip to Iran,” Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said in a statement.

“After telling Australian officials they had made this decision, the players were given multiple chances to talk about their options,” Burke added.

The Iranian team arrived in Australia for the Women’s Asian Cup last month before the war broke out in the Middle East on February 28.

Initially, six players and one support staff member from the 26-player squad list accepted humanitarian visas to stay in Australia before the rest of the Iranian contingent flew from Sydney to Malaysia on 9 March.

Another later changed his mind and left Australia. A government official said the three men left Sydney for Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on Saturday night. The rest of the team has remained in Kuala Lumpur since leaving Australia.

The players did not sing the Iranian national anthem before the first match, raising concerns about the team’s safety in Iran.

Iranian groups in Australia and US President Donald Trump called on the Australian government to help the woman.