Kamal Ghorui
GOLD COAST: Iran’s players sang the national anthem and saluted before bowing out of the Women’s Asian Cup with defeat in their last group match on Sunday in Australia.When Iran faced South Korea on Monday in their opening game the players stood motionless, two days after the US and Israel began a war against the country.But on Thursday in their second game, against hosts Australia, all the Iranian players saluted and sang the anthem on the Gold Coast.
Against the Philippines on Sunday they again sang and saluted as the rain came down on Queensland’s Gold Coast.They went on to lose the encounter 2-0, ending their hopes of reaching the next round.No public reason was given for the players’ original stance over the pre-game national anthem.Coach Marziyeh Jafari has said her team have “so much concern” about their families as the conflict raged and that players felt “fully disconnected” from their loved ones.Speaking to national broadcaster ABC ahead of Sunday’s game, Foreign Minister Penny Wong was asked about the prospect of the team going home.“I want to say about the Iranian women’s team that it has been really moving for Australians to see them in Australia,” she said.Wong added that the sight of the Australian players swapping shirts with their Iranian opponents was “a very evocative moment”.“It spoke to solidarity and the way in which sport can bring us together,” she said.“We know this regime has brutally oppressed many Iranian women,” she added.Iran lost 3-0 to South Korea and 4-0 to Australia to finish bottom of Group A with nine goals conceded and none scored.
