President Trump on Monday reflected on the plight of the Iran women’s national soccer team, who were caught up in the geopolitical effects of the US-Israeli war on their home country while participating in the Women’s Asian Cup in Australia and were offered asylum in the US.
There were calls for Australia to grant asylum to the women after Iranian television branded them “traitors” over the weekend, following Australia’s decision not to sing or salute during the Iranian national anthem before their first match at the tournament. Before subsequent games he sang and saluted, leading to speculation that his team leaders were coercing him.
President Trump said in a statement, “Australia is making a terrible humanitarian mistake by allowing the Iranian national women’s soccer team to be forcibly deported back to Iran, where they will very likely die. Don’t do it, Mr. Prime Minister; grant asylum. A social media post adds, “America will take them if you don’t.”
He posted his message as a prominent Iranian opposition figure in exile and stated in an Australian newspaper that five of the team’s players had escaped from their hotel on the Gold Coast, were being assisted by Australian police, and were expected to apply for asylum.
“Most of them have families at home, some of them have children at home, and even if they are given the right to live in Australia, if they feel unsafe, many of them may not take up that opportunity,” Craig Foster, former Australian men’s soccer team captain and human rights lawyer, told CBS News partner network. BBC News First. “The most important thing is that that offer has been made.”
Australia’s government did not immediately respond to CBS News’ request for confirmation that either woman had applied for asylum.
