Australia grants citizenship to Iranian women’s soccer players in Brisbane

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Iran players stayed in country after Asian Cup in March Duo condemned as traitors in Iran for not singing anthem Two former Iranian footballers said on Thursday they were “proud” to have been granted Australian citizenship after being called traitors at home for refusing to sing the national anthem before a game. Fatemeh Pasandideh and Atefeh Ramezanisadeh were members of a group of seven from Iran’s delegation who asked for Australia’s protection after the high-profile protest during the women’s Asian Cup in March. Continue reading...

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Two members of Iran women’s football team have become Australian citizens, having previously been granted humanitarian asylum following this year’s Asian Cup. Atefeh Ramezanisadeh, 34, and Fatemeh Pasandideh, 22, were naturalised in Brisbane, Queensland, on Wednesday — five months after refusing to return to Iran. Seven members of Iran’s travelling party for the tournament had initially sought asylum in Australia after their country’s elimination from the tournament. Five subsequently changed th

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Two members of the Iranian women’s soccer team who claimed asylum in Australia in March have been granted citizenship. Fatemeh Pasandideh and Atefeh Ramezanisadeh said in a statement Thursday that Immigration Minister Tony Burke swore them in the day before at a citizenship ceremony in their Australian home city of Brisbane.