Australia’s home affairs minister, Tony Burke, said on Wednesday morning Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAPView image in fullscreenAustralia’s home affairs minister, Tony Burke, said on Wednesday morning Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAPTwo more Iranian football squad members granted humanitarian visas in Australia, minister confirmsTony Burke says one player and one support member reunited with five players women’s team granted humanitarian visas this week
A total of seven members of the Iranian women’s football team have now sought asylum in Australia, home affairs minister Tony Burke has confirmed.
He confirmed an additional two people had sought asylum before the rest of the Iranian team departed Sydney on a flight to Malaysia on Tuesday night, one player and one support member. Burke said the pair were offered humanitarian visas, and both took up the offer. The visas were processed overnight.
They join five teammates whose humanitarian visas were confirmed by the Albanese government on Tuesday morning.
On Tuesday, Burke and prime minister Anthony Albanese had encouraged further team members to seek asylum in Australia if they wished. Burke said “the same opportunity is there” for other players, while Albanese said “we’re willing to provide assistance to other women in the team”.
Sources had told Guardian Australia on Wednesday morning that one player and one staff member had not travelled out of Australia when the remainder of the sqaud departed.
Read moreThe team had arrived in Sydney just after 8pm local time on Tuesday, after leaving the Gold Coast where they had played their final game of the tournament on Sunday – a 2-0 loss to the Philippines.
After the granting of asylum to the first five players, supporters had gathered at the airport, in the hope that more players or staff would try to remain in Australia. The speculation had built after the team became embroiled in controversy for refusing to sing the national anthem at their opening game 10 days ago, prompting threats of reprisals for “traitors” amid the US-Israeli attacks on the country.
But the supporters remained frustrated as the team exited the plane from the back and were escorted on to a bus surrounded by airport staff and Australian federal police.
