Source : ABC NEWS
A day after the first five Iranian players were granted asylum in a secure location in Brisbane, A-League clubs have reached out to offer training facilities, support and a new “home”.
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke travelled to Sydney and reunited those five with teammate Mohadeseh Zolfi and Zahra Soltan Meshkeh Kar, a member of the team’s support staff, after they also sought asylum.
The rest of the team has since flown out of Australia.
The Brisbane Roar posted on Instagram that they had “immense admiration” for the “passionate, talented women” seeking refuge in Australia.
“To Fatemeh, Zahra, Zahra, Atefeh, Mona [the first five players granted asylum] and any of your teammates building a new life here in Australia: Brisbane is home to one of the country’s most passionate football communities, and the Roar family has a big heart,” the Roar posted on social media.
The Roar offered “a place to train, play and belong”. (Getty Images: Bradley Kanaris)
“We’d be honoured to open our doors and offer you a place to train, play, and belong and will begin to explore how to make this happen.
“No politics. No conditions. Just football, community, and a warm welcome.
“Queensland is your home now.”
It is not the first time A-League teams have offered a safe space for refugees.
After the Taliban took power in Afghanistan in 2021, a group of 77 Afghan athletes and their families escaped and flew to Australia.
Melbourne Victory offered a home to members of the national women’s team and established a 23-strong Afghan Women’s Team under the Victory banner.
Professional Footballers Association chief executive Beau Busch said his organisation would play a similar role assisting the Iranian players resettle in Australia.
“We’ll make sure they have access to mental health support, support into the football community, that they feel connected back to football, career advice etc,” he said.
“We’ll make sure all of their needs in relation to football are met and that they feel connected to the football community.”
The Afghan Women’s Team returned to the international stage in October in the FIFA Unites: Women’s Series in Morocco.
After losing their first two games to Chad and Tunisia, they beat Libya 7-0.
