Iran’s women tell a tale of football, anthems and war

It was a moment of silence that spoke a thousand words.

- MAIRA BUTT

When the Iranian women’s national football team refused to sing their country’s national anthem on Monday, 2 March, they were branded “wartime traitors” by state TV presenters. Broadcaster Mohammad Reza Shabazi went as far as saying their actions were the “pinnacle of dishonour”. The silent protest took place at the opening match of the AFC Women’s Asian Cup tournament in Australia, just days after US-Israeli strikes killed Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Since the beginning of the war, more than 1,300 people in Iran have been killed, and the conflict has spread throughout the Middle East.

Striker Sara Didar fought back tears as she spoke of her concern for Iran at a press conference on Wednesday last week.

‘‘Obviously, we’re all concerned and we’re sad at what has happened to Iran and our families in Iran,’’ she said. ‘‘I really hope for our country to have good news ahead. And I hope that my country will be strongly alive.’’

Concerns were raised when the team were seen singing the national anthem enthusiastically and saluting in their two subsequent group matches.

After the team were eliminated from the tournament on Sunday, crowds of protesters chased the team’s tour bus down the street, calling on Australia to ‘‘save our girls’’. There were growing fears that the players and their families could face reprisals for their protest back home, especially after the Islamic Republic’s bloody crackdown on widespread demonstrations in January. One of the mothers of an unnamed player is reported to have sent a voice note to her daughter (who later chose to return to Iran, having not received it), heard by ABC News, pleading: “Don’t come [back to Iran]... they'll kill you.”