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Fears grow for Iran’s women’s football team

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What is the latest on the Iran women’s football team?

After their Asian Cup campaign ended on Sunday in Australia, the Iran team bus was surrounded by hundreds of protesters chanting “save our girls.” The players onboard were reportedly seen making SOS signs and photographing those outside. The bus went back to the team hotel on the Gold Coast but on Monday, there are widespread reports that five players escaped the hotel.

“Our understanding is that the players are currently staying in a hotel under heavy monitoring,” Zaki Haidari, on the scene for Amnesty International, told DW moments before the first reports of escape emerged.

“Their communications appear to be restricted, which has made it very difficult for human rights organizations, human rights lawyers and the media to make contact with them.”

FIFPRO Asia/Oceania, the union that represents players in the region, also say they have not been able to contact the Iranian players, with the organization’s president, Beau Busch, saying this was “incredibly concerning.”

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The worries come after the players faced criticism for failing to sing the national anthem in their opening match against South Korea last week. They went on to sing the anthem and salute in their last two group-stage games. Most observers put the change down to pressure on the players from the Iranian regime.

The scenes of public support on Sunday are indicative of hopes in Australia and beyond that the players, coaches and support staff may be able to stay in the country rather than returning to Iran. But with the players unable to speak publicly, it’s unclear what they, individually or collectively, want.

After the match, Iran team manager Marziyeh Jafari said: “we are impatiently waiting to return. Personally I would like to return to my country as soon as possible and be with my compatriots and family.”

But human rights organizations say it’s entirely possible that this is what she had to say in the situation.

Are the Iran women’s team in real danger?

They also say that those seen to oppose the supreme leader, now the slain Ali Khamenei’s son Mojtaba, can expect serious reprisals, with women being in particular danger.

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“We are deeply concerned for their safety if they return to Iran,” Haidari said. “They have been labeled ‘wartime traitors’ on national television simply for peacefully expressing their views. In Iran, that kind of public accusation can expose people to serious punishment by the Iranian authorities.”

The case of Navid Afkari,  one of Iran’s highest-ranked wrestlers, who  was executed in 2020 after being convicted of what many believe to be trumped up charges of murdering a security guard during anti-establishment protests, is one warning for the Iran squad. Many athletes were reportedly also killed in protests earlier this year.

Women’s Uprising In Iran – A Struggle in Exile

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Reza Pahlavi,  the exiled former crown prince of Iran who enjoys the support of some Iranians outside of the country, shared his fears on X.

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“As a result of their brave act of civil disobedience in refusing to sing the current regime’s national anthem, they face dire consequences should they return to Iran,” he wrote.

Could the Iran women’s team stay in Australia?

There is no easy answer but Haidari said Amnesty International are “calling on the Australian government to ensure the players have the opportunity to seek asylum if they wish to do so… Australia is a signatory to the UN 1951 Refugee Convention and has an obligation to protect people who fear persecution in their home country.”

The Australian government has so far expressed support without committing to a course of action.

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“We stand in solidarity with the men and women of Iran, and particularly Iranian women and girls,” Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong told the country’s national broadcaster ABC on Sunday, ahead of the team’s third match.

“Obviously this is a regime that has brutally cracked down on its people.”

The opposition Liberal party’s shadow attorney general, Julian Leeser, called on the Labor government of Wong and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to provide asylum to those players who want it, and “not turn a blind eye to the danger these women face.”

Busch, from FIFPRO, said that  the Australian government, FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) should “ensure that every bit of pressure is applied” to protect the players’ human rights.

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But with the players’ positions, and in some cases whereabouts, unclear, it’s a tangled knot.

“It’s important to remember the enormous pressure the players are under. Their country is at war, they are worried about their families, and they are facing pressure from Iranian authorities because of their peaceful protest. Despite this, they have shown remarkable courage and have received strong support from the Australian community,” Haidari said.

The Asian Cup  continues without Iran but what happens to the eliminated team has become the most important story of the tournament.

Edited by: Chuck Penfold

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England backs shine as Bath beat Saracens to reach Champions Cup quarter-finals

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Bath turned to a quartet of their England backs to turn the tide as they edged into the Champions Cup quarter-finals with a 31-22 victory over Saracens.

Trailing 10-0 at the interval at the Recreation Ground, the hosts burst into life with tries from Henry Arundell, Joe Cokanasiga, Ben Spencer and Ollie Lawrence as they set up a last-eight appointment at home against Northampton.

Spencer’s 59th-minute finish of an audacious attack that began on their own try-line looked to be pivotal but determined Saracens refused to throw in the towel and were only truly beaten when Arundell ran in his second in the 80th minute.

Bath’s scrum needed rescuing after a humbling first half with the introduction of prop Thomas du Toit making the difference and the South Africa tighthead was named man of the match.

Unlike their visit to the Recreation Ground a fortnight ago when they were overwhelmed 62-15, it was clear Saracens meant business from the start as they halted an early Bath onslaught including holding up a forward drive over the line.

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Having proved their mettle in defence, they surged ahead in the 14th minute when Charlie Bracken deceived Cokanasiga with a dummy from the base of a maul and raced over.

It was poor defending from Cokanasiga, but at the other end Saracens continued to show far greater determination as the outstanding Tom Willis bulldozed a way through heavy traffic to rescue a dangerous position.

Bath’s scrum was beginning to buckle and they were also suffering at the breakdown, but the visitors were their own worst enemies at times with Fergus Burke failing to find touch with a penalty.

Rhys Carre rampaged into space and Noah Caluori almost crossed in the left corner before Guy Pepper was shown a yellow card for cynically heading the ball away on the floor.

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So many elements of Saracens’ game were firing but the points they deserved proved elusive with a Farrell penalty their only other score in a half they had controlled.

To punish their wastefulness, Arundell sprinted across after being released by Charlie Ewels early in the second half and then Cokanasiga scooped up a loose ball to weave over after Lawrence had carried into space.

The tries sandwiched a dramatic reversal in the scrum with Beno Obano sin-binned for a cumulation of penalties before Du Toit forced a penalty, providing Cokanasiga with the platform to score.

Bath led for the first time and then produced the highlight of the afternoon by stopping Saracens from scoring by dislodging the ball from Andy Onyeama-Christie as he ran at the line before striking with a move that began from their own whitewash.

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Cokanasiga escaped the 22, found Alfie Barbeary who waited for Spencer and the England scrum-half had gas to finish from long range.

Maro Itoje and then Ivan van Zyl burst through the breakdown and Saracens were far from done as a period of pressure ended with Max Malins touching down in the left corner.

But Harry Wilson was the next to see yellow for a dangerous tackle on Miles Reid and soon after Lawrence crashed over from close range.

Caluori replied for Saracens, but Bath had the final say at the death through Arundell.

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Top AEW star in trouble; asks history making champion for help against Death Riders

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A top AEW star, currently in the crosshairs of the Death Riders, recently asked a historic champion outside the promotion to help him against Moxley’s group.

The star we’re highlighting here is none other than Will Ospreay. The British talent recently made a major comeback to AEW, returning at Revolution 2026 last month after being sidelined with a neck injury since Forbidden Door 2025 in August. Upon his return, the Aerial Assassin immediately targeted the Death Riders, the group responsible for his long absence. The Sky King is set to face group leader Jon Moxley in a highly anticipated showdown at Dynasty 2026 on April 12. Meanwhile, Ospreay also recently made his in-ring return for NJPW, appearing at the promotion’s Sakura Genesis event, where he teamed up with United Empire’s Great-O-Khan and HENARE in a six-man tag team match, which his team won. Beyond that, Ospreay had an interesting discussion with IWGP Heavyweight Champion Callum Newman.

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The main event of NJPW Sakura Genesis featured Newman defending his title against Yota Tsuji. Newman, who made wrestling history by becoming the youngest IWGP Heavyweight Champion, managed to defeat Tsuji in their match. Later backstage, Ospreay was seen asking the United Empire and Newman for help at work, seemingly implying that he needs assistance in dealing with the Death Riders.

Will Ospreay vs. Jon Moxley at AEW Dynasty will now be a title match

Many fans know that Will Ospreay’s chance to face Jon Moxley at Dynasty later this month was initially set as a regular singles match. However, recent events between the two at Collision this Thursday have caused the Purveyor of Violence to now defend his coveted Continental Title in that matchup.

For context, Moxley was attacked by the Aerial Assassin on Collision after his Continental Title eliminator match against Anthony Bowens. Ospreay was about to take out the One True King with a chair before the Death Riders arrived to make the save. The British star then challenged Moxley to put his Continental title on the line at Dynasty. The match change was soon made official by AEW.