Iranian Footballers Who Defected to Australia Speak Out for First Time

Two Iranian footballers who fled to Australia after refusing to sing their nation’s anthem have opened up about the new lives they are building far from home.

Atefeh Ramezanisadeh and Fatemeh Pasandideh, known as Ati and Pasand, were recently granted Australian citizenship during a private ceremony attended by Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke.

The pair were members of the Iranian women’s soccer team that staged a quiet act of defiance against the country’s authoritarian leadership, standing silently during the national anthem before a match against South Korea at Gold Coast Stadium on March 2.

Their protest came amid a brutal crackdown in Iran, where authorities have been accused of killing tens of thousands of demonstrators, and as tensions escalated involving the United States and Israel.

In the aftermath, seven players initially sought asylum in Australia after an Iranian public broadcaster branded them “wartime traitors”.

But continued pressure from Iran saw all but Ati and Pasand return to the Middle East.

The women on Sunday told 60 Minutes they haven’t contacted the team, or family members in Iran, for fear of reprisal.

‘For security reasons over these past 6 months, we decided not to talk because I don’t want to put their lives in danger,’ Pasand said.

Pasand has also lost contact with her father and brothers, who remain in Iran.

‘Since I made this decision, I have never been in contact with them but I’ve heard that they are okay,’ she said.

‘I try to get updates through people around them but I hope change happens in Iran so I can see them again.’

When pressed on whether she believed turmoil would end in Iran, Pasand said: ‘The only thing I believe is that brutality will never last forever.’

Just six months on from the devastating decision, the women are working to create new lives in Australia.

Pasand shared she watches popular children’s cartoon Bluey to learn Australian slang while Ati recently earned her Australian driver’s licence.

Both women play for Brisbane-based soccer club Wynnum Wolves but hope to return to professional teams.

It was through the team that they met their ‘second father’, club president Rabieh Krayem.

Mr Krayem had to pause his interview and wipe his tears when the 60 Minutes team told him that Ati referred to him as a father figure.

‘I’m crying now. You know, I can understand missing her father and to be compared to someone’s father – that’s a lot to take on,’ he said.

‘If I can make her life a little bit easier, make both their lives easier, that’s all I need.’

Burke on Sunday shared how difficult it was to reach out to the Iranian team following their protest.

Despite being on Australian soil, the women were kept under close guard by Iranian minders at all hours.

It was only six days after the women refused to sing the anthem that Australian authorities were able to contact them on March 8, immediately after their final match against the Philippines. 

‘There were the tiniest interactions with some of our officials where we just said, ‘If you want to seek protection from Australia, we’re open to have that conversation with you’, and the seed was planted,’ Burke said.

Immigration officials were able to further help the women through a secret midnight meeting in the foyer of their Gold Coast hotel. 

‘We were under so much stress. We didn’t know if we were doing the right thing. We were terrified and anxious – it was a mix of feelings,’ Ati said.

‘And the night we made the decision, none of us slept until 5am.’

Now they have citizenship, the women finally feel ‘safe’.

‘It meant everything. Getting citizenship allow us to breathe and focus on our future,’ Ati said.

‘It gave us a feeling of safety. It was a really wonderful thing to happen.’

Pasand added: ‘I am so deeply grateful to be here. It feels like my home here. Iran remains in my heart but I truly love Australia.

‘I want to be a useful person for Australia and be the best version of myself.’