Five members of Iran’s women football team initially accepted asylum in Australia but have now left the country. Photograph: Dave Hunt/ReutersView image in fullscreenFive members of Iran’s women football team initially accepted asylum in Australia but have now left the country. Photograph: Dave Hunt/ReutersFifth Iranian football player leaves Australia after initially accepting offer of asylumMinister Tony Burke confirms another member of Iran’s women’s football team left Australia late Sunday night
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A fifth member of the Iranian women’s football team has left Australia after withdrawing their claim of asylum.
The office of the home affairs minister, Tony Burke, confirmed on Monday that the woman had left late on Sunday night.
Australia initially granted asylum to seven team members, including a player handler, last week while they were in the country for the Asian Cup.
Burke said on Sunday, after three of the women decided to return to Iran, the players were given repeated chances to talk about their options after telling Australian officials they had made this decision.
“While the Australian government can ensure that opportunities are provided and communicated, we cannot remove the context in which the players are making these incredibly difficult decisions,” he said.
On Monday morning government minister Catherine King told ABC radio that “both Tony Burke and Australia can be really proud” to have offered the women “genuine choices”.
“They had every opportunity to know that they were safe and welcome here,” she said. “[The decision] must have been incredibly hard … they would have been facing enormous pressure.
