Iranian footballers granted asylum after anthem protest at Asian Cup

Two former Iranian women’s national soccer players, Atefeh Ramezanisadeh and Fatemeh Pasandideh, said their refusal to sing Iran’s national anthem before an Asian Cup match against South Korea was a deliberate protest in solidarity with demonstrators in Iran. They said the gesture carried serious risks, including possible torture, while Iranian state-linked media condemned the players as traitors and demanded punishment. Although some observers initially interpreted the silence as mourning after U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran, the players said they were protesting the government’s crackdown and the deaths of demonstrators. Seven members of the delegation sought protection in Australia, but most later returned to Iran; Ramezanisadeh and Pasandideh remained and were granted asylum.