Sports Desk: The Iranian judiciary has lifted all restrictions on Zahra Ghanbari, the captain of the national women’s football team. Following a court order, the process of returning her confiscated assets and properties has begun. These assets were originally seized after she initially sought political asylum in Australia.
The Background
The incident dates back to last March when the Iranian team traveled to Australia for the AFC Women’s Asian Cup. During the tournament, geopolitical tensions spiked between Iran, Israel, and the United States. Citing the unstable situation at home, Zahra, along with six teammates and one official, applied for political asylum in Australia.
A Change of Heart
However, Zahra changed her mind shortly after. On March 19, she returned to Tehran with four of her teammates. Despite the controversy surrounding their initial decision, they were given a heroic reception at the airport upon their arrival.
Judiciary’s Stance
The Iranian judicial news agency, ‘Mizan,’ reported that the court ordered the return of Zahra’s assets after observing a “positive change in behavior” and her declaration of innocence. This move comes just days after Iranian media published a list of individuals labeled as “traitors” for their actions during the conflict—a list that initially included Ghanbari’s name.
Allegations of Pressure
Human rights organizations have often alleged that the Iranian government uses tactics such as seizing assets or putting psychological pressure on families to prevent athletes from defecting while abroad. There were reports that intelligence agencies questioned the parents of the footballers involved. Conversely, the Iranian government claimed that Australia had “provoked” the players to stay.
National Anthem Controversy
The team also faced backlash from hardliners during the Asian Cup for not singing the national anthem during their first match. However, they resumed singing it in subsequent matches, and footage of them doing so was prominently featured during the reception ceremony in Tehran.
While five of the seven individuals have returned from Australia, two players remain in the country and are currently training with the Brisbane Roar club.