Three more members of the Iranian women’s football team have left their asylum in Australia and decided to return home, Canberra said Sunday. 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. Only three of them will now remain in Australia, after another member of the group had second thoughts earlier in the week.
“Overnight, three members of the Iranian Women’s Football Team made the decision to join the rest of the team on their journey back to Iran,” Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said in a statement. “After telling Australian officials they had made this decision, the players were given repeated chances to talk about their options,” he said.