Kuala Lumpur, Mar 11 (EFE).- Iran’s women’s national football team has arrived in Malaysia after leaving Australia, where several players sought humanitarian protection following controversy over their refusal to sing the national anthem during the Asian Cup, officials said Wednesday.
A spokesperson for the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) told EFE that the team is currently staying in Kuala Lumpur after departing Tuesday night from Sydney.
“The Asian Football Confederation will provide all necessary support to the team during their stay in Malaysia until arrangements for their next trip are confirmed,” the spokesperson said, without specifying the squad’s next destination.
The players are staying at a hotel in the Malaysian capital, the spokesperson added.
The AFC representative said the organization is prioritizing the “well-being and security” of the players and urged media outlets to respect the team members’ privacy.
Their arrival in Malaysia comes after one of the seven members of the Iranian delegation who had initially accepted humanitarian protection in Australia changed her mind.
Australian Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said Wednesday that the player contacted the Iranian Embassy in Australia to ask to be picked up, revealing the location where she had been staying, which had been kept secret for security reasons.
Burke said that once authorities learned of the decision, the other players who wish to remain in Australia were “immediately” relocated to another safe location.
On Tuesday, five players initially expressed their desire to stay in Australia for security reasons and were granted humanitarian visas. Later, another player and a member of the technical staff also accepted the protection offer.
The situation of the Iranian women’s team drew international attention after several players did not sing the national anthem before their opening match of the Asian Cup in Australia, prompting criticism from Iranian state television, which labeled them “traitors” during wartime. EFE
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