Australia grants citizenship to 2 Iranian women’s soccer players who sought asylum
Summary
Two Iranian women soccer players who sought asylum in Australia have been granted Australian citizenship. They were part of the Iranian national team but decided to stay in Australia during a tournament and joined an Australian club team.Key Facts
- Fatemeh Pasandideh and Atefeh Ramezanisadeh, members of Iran’s women’s soccer team, sought asylum in Australia in March 2024.
- They became Australian citizens in a ceremony held in Brisbane, attended by local Iranian community members.
- The women joined Brisbane Roar, a team in Australia’s top domestic women’s soccer league.
- Iran’s team withdrew from the Women’s Asia Cup hosted in Australia; seven Iranian players sought asylum but five returned to Iran shortly after.
- Their citizenship may have been fast-tracked to allow them to play professional soccer in Australia.
- Refugees normally must reside in Australia for four years before applying for citizenship.
- Concerns were raised about the Iranian players’ safety after they refused to sing their national anthem during the tournament.
- U.S. President Donald Trump publicly supported their asylum and spoke with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese about it.
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