Two Iranian female footballers granted Australian citizenship after protest
Players stayed in country after Asian Cup in March Duo condemned as traitors in Iran for not singing anthem Two former Iranian footballers said on Thursday they were proud to have been granted Australian citizenship after being called traitors at home for refusing to sing the national anthem before a game. Fatemeh Pasandideh and Atefeh Ramezanisadeh were members of a group of seven from Iran’s…
Fatemeh Pasandideh and Atefeh Ramezanisadeh, two Iranian female footballers, have been granted Australian citizenship after they were accused of being traitors in their home country for refusing to sing the national anthem before a game during the women’s Asian Cup in March. The duo, along with five other members of Iran’s delegation, sought Australia’s protection.
Their request for asylum embarrassed Iran’s leaders and was praised by US president Donald Trump. However, five of the seven players later changed their minds and returned home. Pasandideh and Ramezanisadeh decided to stay in Australia and were granted citizenship at a ceremony overseen by the minister for home affairs, Tony Burke.
Both expressed their pride and gratitude for becoming Australian citizens. Since seeking asylum a week ago, the pair have been seen smiling and training with Brisbane Roar. The club expressed their support for the players, saying that what they had gone through was more than most people deal with in a lifetime. The Australian football team has opened its doors for the two, and Queensland welcomes them as one of their own. The fate of the remaining team members remains unknown as they returned to Iran.
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