Three more members of Iran’s women’s soccer team decide against staying in Australia as refugees

Three additional members of Iran’s women’s soccer team who had accepted refugee visas to remain in Australia have decided to go back to Iran, an Australian government minister said on Sunday, according to the Associated Press.“Overnight, three members of the Iranian Women’s Football Team made the decision to join the rest of the team on their journey back to Iran,” Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said in a statement.
“After telling Australian officials they had made this decision, the players were given repeated chances to talk about their options,” Burke also said, the AP reported.
Iran’s women’s national team had traveled to Australia for the AFC Women’s Asian Cup last month prior to the beginning of the current conflict in the Middle East, which broke out on Feb. 28.
After the tournament began, seven members of the 26-person delegation, including six players and one staff member, had accepted humanitarian visas offered by Australian authorities and chose to remain in the country. The rest of the Iranian contingent left Sydney on March 9 to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Australian officials said the visas give the recipients the chance to stay in the country as well as a path for longer-term residency.

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