Iran women’s football captain said to withdraw Australia asylum bid; rights groups accuse Tehran of threats

The captain of the Iranian women’s football team that played in the Asian Cup in Australia has withdrawn her bid for asylum, Iranian state media says, making her the fifth member of the delegation to change her mind.

Zahra Ghanbari will head from Australia to Malaysia and from there fly back to Iran, the IRNA news agency says.

Three players and one backroom staff member had already in previous days withdrawn their bids for asylum and traveled to Malaysia.

Rights groups have repeatedly accused Iranian authorities of pressuring athletes abroad by threatening relatives or with the seizure of property if they defect or make statements against the Islamic Republic.

Seven members of Iran’s visiting football delegation competing in the Women’s Asian Cup had sought sanctuary in Australia after they were branded “traitors” at home for refusing to sing the national anthem.

Following the captain’s reported move to go back on her asylum request, only two of them are now set to remain in Australia. The players returning to Iran are at a hotel in the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur awaiting their onward travel.

There is no immediate comment from Australian authorities on Ghanbari’s situation.

Last week one player had changed her mind, followed by two players and the one staff member who left Australia yesterday.