Iran, three more national women’s football players leave Australia to return home

Melbourne (Australia), Mar. 15 (LaPresse) – Three more members of Iran’s women’s football team who had accepted refugee visas to stay in Australia have decided to return to their country. An Australian government minister made the statement. Their departure leaves three of the initial seven players in Australia. “During the night, three members of the Iranian women’s national football team decided to join the rest of the team on the journey back to Iran,” said Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke. “After informing Australian officials of this decision, the players were repeatedly offered opportunities to discuss their options,” he added. The Iranian team had arrived in Australia last month for the Women’s Asia Cup, before the Middle East war began on February 28. Initially, six players and one support staff member, out of a list of 26 team members, had accepted humanitarian visas to remain in Australia, while the rest of the Iranian delegation flew from Sydney to Malaysia on March 9. Another player subsequently changed her mind and left Australia. Three, a government official said, departed from Sydney for Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, this evening. The rest of the team has remained in Kuala Lumpur since leaving Australia.