Iranian authorities have released the frozen assets of women’s national football team captain Zahra Ghanbri, reversing a seizure that followed her brief asylum bid in Australia.
Iran’s Mizan news agency reported Monday that the court decision follows a "declaration of innocence" after Ghanbari changed her behavior. The player was previously named on a list of individuals labeled as "traitors" by state media.
Ghanbari was part of a group of six players and one staff member who sought asylum in Australia last month. The group traveled to Australia for the Women’s Asian Cup during the recent escalation of the US-Israel war on Iran.
While Australia’s Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke confirmed the country offered asylum to the group, most of the players eventually returned to Iran. Ghanbari was among those who abandoned the claim and returned to Tehran, where she received a public welcome.
Pressure on athletes
The reversal follows intense scrutiny after the team refused to sing the Iranian national anthem during their first match in Queensland. Following the snub, Iranian state broadcaster IRIB labeled the players as traitors.
Players who returned to Iran described a climate of intense psychological pressure. "Every step had to be thought about twice before being taken," said player Mona Hamoudi, who also withdrew her asylum request.
Hamoudi told Al Jazeera that the decision to return was driven by constant anxiety over the consequences for her family and her future. "This dilemma caused me constant anxiety, because every choice carried consequences," she said.
Human rights campaigners have accused Tehran of using intimidation tactics, including the interrogation of athletes' relatives, to prevent defections. Iranian officials, however, have accused Australia of attempting to force the athletes to defect.
Two members of the squad remain in Australia, where they are currently training with the Brisbane Roar football club.
