ABC News Daily The brave escape of the Iranian soccer players
Mar 10, 2026
Catherine Ordway, a lawyer and sport integrity expert and visiting scholar at UNSW, unpacks the Iranian women’s soccer players’ silent anthem protest and the harsh state backlash. She covers the bus SOS signal and tight surveillance. She explains how Australia moved some players to safety, the risks to families back home, and criticism of football authorities’ response.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Players Refused Anthem And Faced Traitor Accusations
- Five Iranian women footballers refused to sing the national anthem on the Gold Coast and were later condemned as traitors on Iranian state TV.
- Catherine Ordway describes the sequence: silent protest, state TV labelling them wartime traitors, and growing fears for their safety prompting asylum requests.
Silent Protests Became High Risk Political Signals
- Silent protests by Iranian athletes have become a channel of solidarity since the uprising and violent crackdown in Iran.
- Ordway explains these gestures are risky because Iran treats silence as political defiance and has escalated reprisals against visible dissenters.
SOS Hand Signal And Heavy Surveillance On Tour Bus
- After threats on state TV, at least one player on the team used an SOS hand signal on a bus and the players were tightly controlled by minders.
- Ordway recounts limited contact with families, separate meals, heavy surveillance, and the players' inability to get advice before seeking asylum.