Two more Iranian women's soccer players seek asylum in Australia, media reports

SYDNEY, March 11 (Reuters) - Two more players from the Iranian women’s soccer team sought asylum in Australia, local media reported, after five players were granted humanitarian ​visas on Tuesday over safety concerns on their return home for ‌not singing the national anthem.

One player may have refused to board a flight at Sydney airport at the last minute on Tuesday night, national broadcaster ABC News said ​in a report, citing unidentified sources. The remaining players have ​left Australia for Iran.

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Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke did not immediately ⁠respond to a request for comment.

Soccer fans and governing agencies started ​expressing concerns about the welfare of the team after they were labelled “wartime traitors” ​on Iranian state television for refusing to sing their national anthem at an Asia Cup match.

The Iranian team’s campaign in the Australia-hosted tournament started just as the U.S. ​and Israel launched air strikes on Iran, killing the Islamic Republic’s Supreme Leader ​Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. They were eliminated from the tournament on Sunday.

The Iranian players boarded ‌a ⁠flight to Sydney from the northeastern city of Gold Coast on Tuesday afternoon before flying back home.

A group of Iranians living in Australia gathered to protest against the Iranian government and surrounded the players’ bus in Gold ​Coast when they ​left the hotel ⁠for the airport. Many also turned up at the Sydney airport on Tuesday evening while they were being transferred ​to the international terminal, television footage showed.

The office of ​Iran’s general ⁠prosecutor said on Tuesday the remaining members of the team were invited back to the country “with peace and confidence,” Iranian media reported.

U.S. President Donald Trump praised ⁠Australian ​Prime Minister Anthony Albanese for allowing the women ​to stay, saying on social media the United States was ready to take the players ​if Australia did not.

Reporting by Renju Jose in Sydney; Editing by Bill Berkrot

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