Returning to one of today’s key developments now, that five members of the Iranian women’s soccer team in Australia for the Asian Cup have been granted humanitarian visas to stay.
Canberra made the decision due to fears for the women’s safety after the team declined to sing the national anthem during a match on the Gold Coast last week.
Craig Foster, a former captain of the Australian men’s soccer team, said he found the development “positive and concerning”.
“Obviously, there is still a very large group who haven’t had the opportunity to access the same advice or exercise their rights in the same way,” Foster told ABC News 24.
“Effectively, the last couple of days have taken a more positive turn whilst the team was locked down and effectively kept hostage, an intervention should have been made by the football governing bodies,” he added, referring to tournament organisers the Asian Football Confederation and FIFA.
“In the absence of that, the Australian government has been able to put themselves in a position where at least five women were able to access advice and make that decision.
“The key issue for all Australians now is that they’re not to be forcibly removed or removed from the country without the remaining players gain access to that independent advice and able to exercise their rights as well.”
An official squad list named 26 players, plus head coach Marziyeh Jafari and other coaches. Homes Affairs Minister Tony Burke said the offer of asylum was extended to all on the team.
Foster has long been a passionate advocate for refugees and multiculturalism. In 2018, he was pivotal in a campaign to free Bahrainian footballer Hakeem al-Araibi from a Thai jail and bring him to Australia before he could be extradited to Bahrain.
With AP
