Timing and government involvement

After days of speculation, five players from the Iranian women’s football team were formally granted protection in Australia by home affairs minister Tony Burke early on Tuesday morning. Meanwhile, the rest of the team remains under surveillance by minders as they travel to the airport and potentially back to Iran. Women’s football journalist Samantha Lewis speaks to Nour Haydar about what went on behind the scenes to keep the women in Australia, whether more players could do so too and what happens next