Iran women’s team refuse to sing national anthem before Asian Cup match

Iran’s women’s team refused to sing the national anthem before the Asian Cup match on Monday in Australia, standing in silence ahead of their opening Group A fixture against South Korea in their first game since the war in the Middle East began.

Every player faced forward without singing during the anthem at Gold Coast Stadium in Queensland. South Korea went on to win the match 3-0.

Iran’s head coach, Marziyeh Jafari, and her squad declined to comment when asked about the war or the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

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The Iranian women’s side had arrived in Australia days before air strikes began in the Middle East. They are scheduled to face the host nation on Thursday before playing their final group-stage match against the Philippines on Sunday, both at the same venue.

Players from other teams acknowledged the situation. “Our heart goes out to them and their families. It’s a difficult situation, and it’s really brave of them to be able to be here and to perform,” said Australia midfielder Amy Sayer. “They put on a really strong performance, even with the political climate that’s going on and the struggles that they might be going through.

“The best we can do to contribute is to just give them the best game of football [on Thursday] that we’re able and to show them the respect on the field. Hopefully, the situation improves, and they can keep staying safe in Australia.”

Iran are the only Middle Eastern team to qualify for the tournament, which runs until 21 March. Australia began their campaign with a 1-0 win over the Philippines in Perth on Sunday, while North Korea beat Uzbekistan 3-0 in Group B.

(The Guardian UK)