Two former Iranian football players said on Thursday that they were delighted to receive Australian citizenship after being branded traitors in their homeland for declining to sing Iran’s national anthem before a match.
Fatemeh Pasandideh and Atefeh Ramezanisadeh were among seven members of Iran’s delegation who requested protection from Australia following their widely reported protest at the women’s Asian Cup in March.
The protection requests caused discomfort for the Iranian authorities and received praise from US president Donald Trump. Five members of the group later reversed their decisions and returned to Iran, while Pasandideh and Ramezanisadeh remained in Australia. They officially became citizens during a ceremony led by home affairs minister Tony Burke on Wednesday.
“Yesterday was an exceptionally meaningful day that I will never forget. I am honoured and sincerely thankful to have become an Australian citizen,” Ramezanisadeh said.
“Considering everything we have endured and the difficulties we have overcome, it is impossible to fully describe what this moment means to us,” Pasandideh said.
One week after applying for asylum, the two players were seen smiling during a training session with Australian club Brisbane Roar, which congratulated them on Wednesday. A club spokesperson said their experiences since February were greater than what many people face over an entire lifetime.
The spokesperson added that everyone at Brisbane Roar was pleased to have played a small role in helping them reach this stage. Queensland is now their home, and they will always be welcome to return and train with the club.
The circumstances of the other team members remain uncertain following their return to Iran.
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