Iranian state television labelled members of the women’s national football team “traitors”, prompting serious concerns for their safety as they prepared to return home where accusations of treason or corruption can carry the death penalty.
Australian Employment Minister Tony Burke said on Wednesday that Australia’s intention was never to pressure the players into any particular choice.
“Australia’s objective here was not to force people to make a particular decision. We’re not that sort of nation,” he told reporters.
After leaving Queensland, the remaining members of the delegation travelled to Sydney, where they were due to board an international flight to Kuala Lumpur. It was there, Burke said, that Australian officials made a final effort to ensure the players had a genuine opportunity to seek protection.
Each player and “most of the supporting people” was taken individually into private meeting rooms and again offered the option to remain in Australia. Some chose to contact their families before deciding.
“Ultimately, in Sydney, none of those individuals made the decision to take up the offer from Australia,” Burke said.
The situation has drawn global attention, with human rights groups warning that the players could face retaliation upon returning to Iran after refusing to sing the national anthem earlier in the tournament.
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