1 00:00:00,520 --> 00:00:05,120 Speaker 1: Already and this is the Daily This is the Daly OS. 2 00:00:05,120 --> 00:00:06,840 Speaker 2: Oh, now it makes sense. 3 00:00:14,600 --> 00:00:17,720 Speaker 3: Good morning and welcome to the Daily OS. It's Wednesday, 4 00:00:17,840 --> 00:00:20,040 Speaker 3: the eleventh of March. I'm Emma Gillespie. 5 00:00:20,200 --> 00:00:21,360 Speaker 1: I'm beliefit Simons. 6 00:00:21,720 --> 00:00:24,319 Speaker 3: A moment of silence on a Gold Coast football pitch 7 00:00:24,400 --> 00:00:27,240 Speaker 3: last week set off a chain of events involving the 8 00:00:27,280 --> 00:00:30,440 Speaker 3: Australian Federal Police, a middle of the night phone call 9 00:00:30,520 --> 00:00:34,880 Speaker 3: between two world leaders, and an extraordinary visa decision against 10 00:00:34,960 --> 00:00:37,880 Speaker 3: the backdrop of an active war. In today's deep Dive, 11 00:00:38,000 --> 00:00:40,440 Speaker 3: we are going to explain everything you need to know 12 00:00:40,640 --> 00:00:43,599 Speaker 3: about the Iranian women's football team and the Federal government's 13 00:00:43,600 --> 00:00:49,440 Speaker 3: decision to grant player's asylum. 14 00:00:49,600 --> 00:00:52,120 Speaker 1: Emma, I would say that this is probably the biggest 15 00:00:52,159 --> 00:00:56,640 Speaker 1: story in Australia this week. And just to set the scene, 16 00:00:56,720 --> 00:01:00,000 Speaker 1: I want to explain why the Iranian women's football team 17 00:01:00,160 --> 00:01:02,040 Speaker 1: was in Australia in the first place. 18 00:01:02,160 --> 00:01:03,480 Speaker 2: Yeah, let's take a step back. 19 00:01:03,520 --> 00:01:06,480 Speaker 3: You're right, Billy, there is something going on of note, 20 00:01:06,600 --> 00:01:09,440 Speaker 3: which is why this team and many other teams from 21 00:01:09,480 --> 00:01:12,360 Speaker 3: around the world are here in Australia. It's because of 22 00:01:12,520 --> 00:01:17,119 Speaker 3: the AFC Women's Asian Cup. That's the Asian Football Confederation's 23 00:01:17,360 --> 00:01:22,039 Speaker 3: major international women's tournament. Australia is playing host to the 24 00:01:22,080 --> 00:01:25,160 Speaker 3: Asian Cup, so there are games happening right around the country. 25 00:01:25,680 --> 00:01:29,240 Speaker 3: And Iran's women's national team, known as the Lioness's, we're 26 00:01:29,280 --> 00:01:32,440 Speaker 3: here to compete as one of those many nations. So 27 00:01:32,480 --> 00:01:35,160 Speaker 3: they arrived on the Gold Coast to play their group 28 00:01:35,240 --> 00:01:39,039 Speaker 3: matches and their opening game was against South Korea on 29 00:01:39,080 --> 00:01:42,319 Speaker 3: the second of March, and that is where this story 30 00:01:42,360 --> 00:01:43,040 Speaker 3: really begins. 31 00:01:43,319 --> 00:01:46,240 Speaker 1: And so my understanding of what happened at that match 32 00:01:46,440 --> 00:01:49,400 Speaker 1: is that when it came to the team singing their 33 00:01:49,480 --> 00:01:52,880 Speaker 1: national anthem prior to the game, they didn't sing it. 34 00:01:53,240 --> 00:01:56,320 Speaker 3: That is correct, And some crucial context here is that 35 00:01:56,400 --> 00:01:59,280 Speaker 3: this match took place just a couple of days after 36 00:01:59,280 --> 00:02:03,400 Speaker 3: the US and IS launched strikes on Iran, airstrikes that 37 00:02:03,440 --> 00:02:06,600 Speaker 3: we know now killed the supreme leader, the Ayatola, and 38 00:02:06,680 --> 00:02:09,800 Speaker 3: Iran is now in an active conflict. So this war 39 00:02:09,840 --> 00:02:12,959 Speaker 3: with the US has really spread right across the Middle East. 40 00:02:13,400 --> 00:02:15,720 Speaker 2: So that is the backdrop against. 41 00:02:15,320 --> 00:02:18,639 Speaker 3: Which these footballers were sitting on the Gold Coast playing 42 00:02:18,680 --> 00:02:21,239 Speaker 3: in a tournament. So before the game kicked off, as 43 00:02:21,280 --> 00:02:25,600 Speaker 3: you mentioned, Billy, the Iranian players didn't sing their national anthem. Instead, 44 00:02:25,639 --> 00:02:29,600 Speaker 3: they stood in silence, and this was a silent protest. 45 00:02:29,800 --> 00:02:33,720 Speaker 3: Iranian state media were really quick to condemn this action, 46 00:02:33,880 --> 00:02:38,280 Speaker 3: though one presenter labeled the players as traitors. He called 47 00:02:38,280 --> 00:02:41,560 Speaker 3: their silence quote the pinnacle of dishonor. 48 00:02:41,960 --> 00:02:45,600 Speaker 1: Which are some pretty strong words in terms of why 49 00:02:46,080 --> 00:02:49,640 Speaker 1: they didn't sing the national anthem. Was it an act 50 00:02:49,680 --> 00:02:50,520 Speaker 1: of protest? 51 00:02:51,040 --> 00:02:55,640 Speaker 3: Well, the players themselves haven't actually spoken to the protest, 52 00:02:55,880 --> 00:02:59,320 Speaker 3: but we can gleam a lot about their motivations based 53 00:02:59,360 --> 00:03:02,280 Speaker 3: on what's been happening on the ground in Iran now 54 00:03:02,320 --> 00:03:04,360 Speaker 3: to understand that we need to take it back a 55 00:03:04,400 --> 00:03:08,840 Speaker 3: little bit. In late December last year, the largest civilian 56 00:03:08,840 --> 00:03:13,480 Speaker 3: protests since the nineteen seventy nine Islamic Revolution broke out 57 00:03:13,600 --> 00:03:17,320 Speaker 3: right across Iran. Now that spread to over one hundred cities. 58 00:03:17,360 --> 00:03:19,960 Speaker 3: We had the people of Iran taking to the streets, 59 00:03:20,360 --> 00:03:24,560 Speaker 3: initially over a collapsing economy, but essentially these protests came 60 00:03:24,720 --> 00:03:28,600 Speaker 3: against the regime itself, calls to end the regime, calls 61 00:03:28,680 --> 00:03:33,079 Speaker 3: from the civilians of Iran to take back their freedoms 62 00:03:33,080 --> 00:03:36,880 Speaker 3: and independence. Now we saw the regime crack down violently 63 00:03:37,040 --> 00:03:38,600 Speaker 3: against those protests. 64 00:03:39,000 --> 00:03:42,320 Speaker 2: The exact death toll is disputed. 65 00:03:41,840 --> 00:03:45,240 Speaker 3: Or not entirely known, but many human rights groups estimate 66 00:03:45,320 --> 00:03:48,720 Speaker 3: that tens of thousands of people in Iran were killed 67 00:03:48,800 --> 00:03:52,280 Speaker 3: during this violence, this violence which was condemned by countries 68 00:03:52,280 --> 00:03:55,640 Speaker 3: and humanitarian groups right around the world, even months before 69 00:03:55,680 --> 00:03:57,760 Speaker 3: the current conflict that we're seeing unfold. 70 00:03:58,480 --> 00:04:02,800 Speaker 1: So we have here precedent for the Ranian regime, I guess, 71 00:04:03,440 --> 00:04:09,120 Speaker 1: acting quite violently towards the people who protest against their regime. 72 00:04:09,640 --> 00:04:13,280 Speaker 1: So the concern here with the women's football team is 73 00:04:13,760 --> 00:04:17,760 Speaker 1: that their safety might be in danger because of this 74 00:04:17,800 --> 00:04:18,560 Speaker 1: if they return home. 75 00:04:18,640 --> 00:04:19,640 Speaker 2: Is that right exactly? 76 00:04:19,680 --> 00:04:24,360 Speaker 3: So many feared that basically after that protest, after they 77 00:04:24,400 --> 00:04:27,239 Speaker 3: refused to sing the anthem, that they might return home, 78 00:04:27,400 --> 00:04:29,880 Speaker 3: and given the recent violence, and also because we know 79 00:04:30,160 --> 00:04:33,840 Speaker 3: the Uranian regime has executed people for this kind of act, 80 00:04:33,920 --> 00:04:36,560 Speaker 3: what it calls treason in the past, so there were 81 00:04:36,600 --> 00:04:40,000 Speaker 3: these concerns that the Uranian players were no longer safe 82 00:04:40,240 --> 00:04:41,440 Speaker 3: should they return home. 83 00:04:41,920 --> 00:04:44,320 Speaker 1: Okay, we are going to unpack what happened next, but 84 00:04:44,440 --> 00:04:50,040 Speaker 1: first here is a quick message from today's sponsor. So 85 00:04:50,640 --> 00:04:53,279 Speaker 1: at this point we have a group of Iranian football 86 00:04:53,320 --> 00:04:57,279 Speaker 1: players on Australian soil, competing in the Asian Cup with 87 00:04:57,440 --> 00:05:01,599 Speaker 1: a war raging in their home country. They refused to 88 00:05:01,640 --> 00:05:05,280 Speaker 1: sing their national anthem during their first match, but they 89 00:05:05,279 --> 00:05:08,559 Speaker 1: had two more matches to play on Australian soil before 90 00:05:08,560 --> 00:05:12,719 Speaker 1: they went home. What happened in those two games. 91 00:05:12,360 --> 00:05:16,560 Speaker 3: So the situation escalated and evolved when Iran played their 92 00:05:16,680 --> 00:05:19,680 Speaker 3: second match, Now that was against the Matilda's, the Aussie 93 00:05:19,720 --> 00:05:23,440 Speaker 3: team on Thursday, and that's when the Iranian players actually 94 00:05:23,520 --> 00:05:26,200 Speaker 3: took to the field before the game and they did 95 00:05:26,240 --> 00:05:30,240 Speaker 3: sing their national anthem. They gave a military salute, and 96 00:05:30,279 --> 00:05:32,240 Speaker 3: that was a full reversal. 97 00:05:31,760 --> 00:05:34,120 Speaker 2: From what we saw just days earlier. 98 00:05:34,240 --> 00:05:37,800 Speaker 3: It sounded the alarm for many human rights campaigners who 99 00:05:37,880 --> 00:05:41,039 Speaker 3: feared that the women had been coerced into singing the anthem. 100 00:05:41,120 --> 00:05:45,240 Speaker 3: They were concerned about pressure by Iranian minders who have 101 00:05:45,400 --> 00:05:48,640 Speaker 3: reportedly been accompanying the women and the team everywhere they've 102 00:05:48,680 --> 00:05:52,200 Speaker 3: gone in Australia, so for example, escorting them to their meals, 103 00:05:52,279 --> 00:05:55,320 Speaker 3: not allowing them to move about their hotel unaccompanied. So 104 00:05:55,440 --> 00:05:58,600 Speaker 3: we then had that pivot concerns about pressure. They did 105 00:05:58,600 --> 00:06:02,039 Speaker 3: play that game against the Matildas. At the end of 106 00:06:02,080 --> 00:06:04,560 Speaker 3: the game, there was this really beautiful moment that has 107 00:06:04,640 --> 00:06:08,839 Speaker 3: resonated across the country. The Matildas ended up swapping jerseys 108 00:06:09,080 --> 00:06:12,400 Speaker 3: with every single member of the Iranian women's team. So 109 00:06:12,440 --> 00:06:14,880 Speaker 3: it was this beautiful moment of kind of solidarity that 110 00:06:15,000 --> 00:06:18,279 Speaker 3: Tillies captain Sam Kerr said, quote, Obviously we have a 111 00:06:18,320 --> 00:06:20,839 Speaker 3: lot of respect for them and we're trying to support 112 00:06:20,880 --> 00:06:23,800 Speaker 3: and put an arm around them. Foreign Minister Penny Wong 113 00:06:23,880 --> 00:06:26,520 Speaker 3: later said that the jersey swap was a very evocative 114 00:06:26,560 --> 00:06:29,280 Speaker 3: moment that spoke to solidarity and the way in which 115 00:06:29,279 --> 00:06:30,719 Speaker 3: sport can bring us together. 116 00:06:31,560 --> 00:06:34,000 Speaker 1: Okay, so that was the second match, yep. And then 117 00:06:34,040 --> 00:06:35,560 Speaker 1: there was a third one. Yes. 118 00:06:35,839 --> 00:06:39,000 Speaker 3: So Iran lost their third game two Nils to the 119 00:06:39,000 --> 00:06:42,680 Speaker 3: Philippines on Sunday. They were knocked out of the competition 120 00:06:43,080 --> 00:06:44,919 Speaker 3: and at the end of the game we saw this 121 00:06:45,120 --> 00:06:49,279 Speaker 3: protest unfolding at the stadium. So in the team bus 122 00:06:49,320 --> 00:06:51,760 Speaker 3: outside the stadium as they tried to leave, about two 123 00:06:51,960 --> 00:06:54,719 Speaker 3: hundred people had gathered. They were banging on the side 124 00:06:54,760 --> 00:06:57,599 Speaker 3: of the bus, they were chanting let them go. Police 125 00:06:57,680 --> 00:06:59,120 Speaker 3: ended up having to intervene. 126 00:06:59,360 --> 00:06:59,840 Speaker 2: But what that. 127 00:06:59,800 --> 00:07:03,560 Speaker 3: Pro test symbolized was this growing call across the country 128 00:07:03,680 --> 00:07:06,640 Speaker 3: basically for the Australian government to intervene. These protesters were 129 00:07:06,680 --> 00:07:09,359 Speaker 3: calling on the government to offer these women asylum in 130 00:07:09,400 --> 00:07:12,520 Speaker 3: Australia so they wouldn't have to return home to Iran 131 00:07:12,800 --> 00:07:17,400 Speaker 3: and potentially face violence or repercussions over that anthem incident. 132 00:07:17,840 --> 00:07:21,120 Speaker 3: So yeah, it turned political and that's what those protesters 133 00:07:21,160 --> 00:07:21,880 Speaker 3: were asking for. 134 00:07:22,320 --> 00:07:26,280 Speaker 1: And the reason why this all kind of escalated yesterday 135 00:07:26,520 --> 00:07:30,160 Speaker 1: is because the Australian government did announce that they will 136 00:07:30,200 --> 00:07:34,600 Speaker 1: be granting humanitarian visas to the players if they want them. 137 00:07:34,800 --> 00:07:37,360 Speaker 3: Yes, so a lot was already happening behind the scenes. 138 00:07:37,800 --> 00:07:41,120 Speaker 3: This was in the works seemingly for many more days 139 00:07:41,160 --> 00:07:44,960 Speaker 3: and weeks than we perhaps have comprehended just yet. Home 140 00:07:44,960 --> 00:07:49,280 Speaker 3: Affairs Minister Tony Burke had actually flown to Brisbane, he 141 00:07:49,360 --> 00:07:52,360 Speaker 3: had met with members of the team personally days before 142 00:07:52,400 --> 00:07:56,200 Speaker 3: anything became public, and then on Monday night, the Australian 143 00:07:56,240 --> 00:07:58,960 Speaker 3: Federal Police ended up moving five players out of the 144 00:07:58,960 --> 00:08:02,160 Speaker 3: team's hotel on the Old Coast to a secure location, 145 00:08:02,680 --> 00:08:06,200 Speaker 3: and on Tuesday morning, Tony Burke confirmed those five players 146 00:08:06,360 --> 00:08:10,480 Speaker 3: had been granted humanitarian visas. He described their reaction as 147 00:08:10,560 --> 00:08:12,840 Speaker 3: joy and relief, and he said they were excited to 148 00:08:12,880 --> 00:08:14,360 Speaker 3: embark on life in Australia. 149 00:08:14,760 --> 00:08:17,480 Speaker 1: Just quickly, when you said that the AFP had helped 150 00:08:17,520 --> 00:08:20,880 Speaker 1: five players move out of their accommodation. When I first 151 00:08:20,920 --> 00:08:24,040 Speaker 1: read this on Tuesday morning, it said that they had escaped, 152 00:08:24,160 --> 00:08:27,880 Speaker 1: and they were escaping out of the You talked before 153 00:08:27,920 --> 00:08:32,000 Speaker 1: about the team's handlers who potentially were part of the 154 00:08:32,040 --> 00:08:34,120 Speaker 1: regime or representing the regime. 155 00:08:34,200 --> 00:08:35,240 Speaker 2: Yep, definitely, and. 156 00:08:35,200 --> 00:08:37,440 Speaker 1: So that sounded super dramatic. I didn't realize that the 157 00:08:37,440 --> 00:08:40,400 Speaker 1: AFP was actually assisting in them escaping. 158 00:08:40,679 --> 00:08:40,880 Speaker 2: Yeah. 159 00:08:40,880 --> 00:08:42,760 Speaker 3: Well, I mean, we don't know yet, and there'll be 160 00:08:42,800 --> 00:08:45,920 Speaker 3: many security reasons why we don't know and they never know. 161 00:08:46,080 --> 00:08:48,200 Speaker 3: But I'm sure there would have been some kind of 162 00:08:48,360 --> 00:08:54,160 Speaker 3: covert operation coordination between federal police authorities, government, the players, 163 00:08:54,200 --> 00:08:56,120 Speaker 3: the team. I don't think it would have been as 164 00:08:56,120 --> 00:08:58,760 Speaker 3: simple as these women just you know, packing their bags 165 00:08:58,760 --> 00:08:59,560 Speaker 3: and walking out. 166 00:08:59,400 --> 00:08:59,920 Speaker 2: Of the hotel. 167 00:09:00,800 --> 00:09:05,360 Speaker 1: Okay, So these five women have now been granted humanitarian visas. 168 00:09:05,840 --> 00:09:08,600 Speaker 1: What does that practically mean that they're now able to 169 00:09:09,040 --> 00:09:10,240 Speaker 1: live in Australia forever. 170 00:09:10,480 --> 00:09:13,920 Speaker 3: Yeah, tony Brook didn't specify the exact type of visa 171 00:09:14,000 --> 00:09:16,160 Speaker 3: that they have been given, but what we do know 172 00:09:16,360 --> 00:09:20,800 Speaker 3: broadly about humanitarian visas here in Australia is that they 173 00:09:20,840 --> 00:09:24,520 Speaker 3: will essentially give the players a pathway to permanent residency 174 00:09:24,760 --> 00:09:27,520 Speaker 3: and eventually Australian citizenship if that's what they want. So 175 00:09:27,880 --> 00:09:30,880 Speaker 3: these visas give holders the right to work and study 176 00:09:30,880 --> 00:09:33,720 Speaker 3: in Australia, depending on the specifics, you know, things like 177 00:09:33,800 --> 00:09:37,839 Speaker 3: access to medicare, the right to work. Potentially it means 178 00:09:37,840 --> 00:09:40,840 Speaker 3: that the government may be able to sponsor family members 179 00:09:40,880 --> 00:09:45,000 Speaker 3: to join these women in Australia. So there are a 180 00:09:45,080 --> 00:09:47,960 Speaker 3: kind of broad range of themes and protections that they'll 181 00:09:47,960 --> 00:09:49,800 Speaker 3: be offered with that kind of a visa. 182 00:09:49,880 --> 00:09:51,480 Speaker 2: The specifics yet that we don't. 183 00:09:51,280 --> 00:09:54,680 Speaker 1: Know, And my understanding is that the Australian government offered 184 00:09:54,679 --> 00:09:57,760 Speaker 1: these humanitarian visas to their whole team, but it was 185 00:09:57,800 --> 00:10:02,040 Speaker 1: only five women who actually wanted it. Is that right? 186 00:10:02,120 --> 00:10:05,120 Speaker 3: Well, I think there's an important difference between five women 187 00:10:05,160 --> 00:10:07,439 Speaker 3: who wanted the visas and five women. 188 00:10:07,200 --> 00:10:08,920 Speaker 2: Who accepted the visas. 189 00:10:08,960 --> 00:10:10,679 Speaker 3: So there has been a lot of conversation in the 190 00:10:10,720 --> 00:10:13,640 Speaker 3: last day or two about what's actually at stake for 191 00:10:13,720 --> 00:10:16,880 Speaker 3: these players if they don't go home to Iran, if 192 00:10:16,920 --> 00:10:20,000 Speaker 3: they stay in Australia indefinitely. Now We did hear some 193 00:10:20,040 --> 00:10:23,280 Speaker 3: community leaders saying early on Tuesday that they were hopeful 194 00:10:23,559 --> 00:10:25,520 Speaker 3: that more women were going to take up the offer 195 00:10:25,559 --> 00:10:29,000 Speaker 3: and stay here. But on Tuesday afternoon, a bus with 196 00:10:29,120 --> 00:10:33,160 Speaker 3: players from the soccer team actually left their Queensland hotel 197 00:10:33,480 --> 00:10:36,960 Speaker 3: bound for the airport. There was a police escort around 198 00:10:37,000 --> 00:10:40,000 Speaker 3: that bus. There were more protesters who tried to intervene 199 00:10:40,040 --> 00:10:43,720 Speaker 3: to stop them, but ultimately that bus made its way 200 00:10:43,800 --> 00:10:46,240 Speaker 3: to the airport with what we can assume is the 201 00:10:46,240 --> 00:10:48,120 Speaker 3: rest of the team to return to Iran. 202 00:10:48,440 --> 00:10:52,480 Speaker 1: What are some of the reasons that these women wouldn't 203 00:10:52,600 --> 00:10:56,560 Speaker 1: want to accept the humanitarian visa if there is so 204 00:10:56,760 --> 00:10:59,400 Speaker 1: much concern that they will be persecuted if they go 205 00:10:59,440 --> 00:11:00,000 Speaker 1: back to Iran. 206 00:11:00,320 --> 00:11:02,480 Speaker 3: What is at stake here for these women is not 207 00:11:02,760 --> 00:11:06,280 Speaker 3: just their own lives and livelihoods, it's their families as well. 208 00:11:06,400 --> 00:11:09,080 Speaker 3: So many of these players will have all of their 209 00:11:09,080 --> 00:11:12,480 Speaker 3: family still living in Iran. There are fears that if 210 00:11:12,520 --> 00:11:15,520 Speaker 3: they fail to return home that their families could then 211 00:11:15,559 --> 00:11:19,160 Speaker 3: be targeted, could then be subjected to violence or worse, 212 00:11:19,679 --> 00:11:23,400 Speaker 3: or face criminal proceedings. So it's not just about giving 213 00:11:23,480 --> 00:11:26,200 Speaker 3: up whatever way of life they have had in Iran. 214 00:11:26,240 --> 00:11:29,000 Speaker 3: It's also about factoring in their family safety. It also 215 00:11:29,040 --> 00:11:31,000 Speaker 3: has to be said that the women who have accepted 216 00:11:31,000 --> 00:11:34,800 Speaker 3: these visas, you know, they have an entirely clean slate 217 00:11:35,040 --> 00:11:37,600 Speaker 3: for better or for worse. But that means leaving behind 218 00:11:37,600 --> 00:11:41,160 Speaker 3: their family, their loved ones, their possessions, their assets, their 219 00:11:41,160 --> 00:11:43,960 Speaker 3: bank accounts, if they have money, their assets, if they 220 00:11:44,000 --> 00:11:46,760 Speaker 3: have property. There is so much to weigh up. So 221 00:11:47,040 --> 00:11:50,599 Speaker 3: for some of these women, staying in Australia means protecting themselves, 222 00:11:50,640 --> 00:11:53,720 Speaker 3: but for others it could mean putting their families at 223 00:11:53,720 --> 00:11:56,480 Speaker 3: greater risk. So it's by no means a simple choice. 224 00:11:56,720 --> 00:11:59,360 Speaker 1: Okay, And one thing that we haven't mentioned is that 225 00:11:59,520 --> 00:12:02,960 Speaker 1: US President Donald Trump was part of the growing calls 226 00:12:03,000 --> 00:12:06,719 Speaker 1: for the Australian government to grant these women asylum. He 227 00:12:06,760 --> 00:12:10,640 Speaker 1: actually had a call with Albanezi. Yeah, overnight on Monday. 228 00:12:10,840 --> 00:12:11,080 Speaker 2: Yeah. 229 00:12:11,120 --> 00:12:14,280 Speaker 3: I think this was a little bit surprising for some people, 230 00:12:14,360 --> 00:12:16,800 Speaker 3: just in terms of Trump has a lot going on 231 00:12:16,880 --> 00:12:19,520 Speaker 3: at the moment with the ongoing conflict between the US 232 00:12:19,640 --> 00:12:22,720 Speaker 3: and Iran. Of course, he has been a vocal critic 233 00:12:22,880 --> 00:12:26,160 Speaker 3: of the Iranian regime. He has publicly spoken out many 234 00:12:26,160 --> 00:12:30,120 Speaker 3: times against the humanitarian crisis there. But he did weigh 235 00:12:30,120 --> 00:12:32,559 Speaker 3: in on truth Social he urged Albanezi to offer the 236 00:12:32,600 --> 00:12:35,440 Speaker 3: team asylum. He warned that allowing them to return to 237 00:12:35,520 --> 00:12:38,760 Speaker 3: Iran would be a terrible mistake, and he then posted 238 00:12:38,760 --> 00:12:42,040 Speaker 3: again saying that he had personally spoken to Albanizi at 239 00:12:42,040 --> 00:12:45,040 Speaker 3: two o'clock in the morning, mind you on Monday night 240 00:12:45,160 --> 00:12:48,760 Speaker 3: or Tuesday morning, and Albanizi confirmed those talks. He said 241 00:12:48,800 --> 00:12:53,040 Speaker 3: that they were very positive. But clearly these movements, these 242 00:12:53,160 --> 00:12:56,480 Speaker 3: visas were in the works before Trump weighed in. There 243 00:12:56,480 --> 00:12:59,480 Speaker 3: has also been rare bipartisan consensus on this one too, 244 00:13:00,080 --> 00:13:03,719 Speaker 3: so the opposition's Shadow Home Affairs Minister John o'danim he 245 00:13:03,840 --> 00:13:07,120 Speaker 3: was actually credited by Tony Burke as working with the 246 00:13:07,160 --> 00:13:11,400 Speaker 3: government to protect the women's best interests. So the Coalition 247 00:13:11,600 --> 00:13:14,800 Speaker 3: and Labor working together on the same page here about 248 00:13:14,840 --> 00:13:16,679 Speaker 3: the importance of this issue. 249 00:13:16,920 --> 00:13:20,280 Speaker 1: And this has happened before. I know there is precedent 250 00:13:20,360 --> 00:13:22,839 Speaker 1: for this kind of thing happening before in Australia. Do 251 00:13:22,880 --> 00:13:24,560 Speaker 1: you know how I know that there's precedent for this 252 00:13:24,640 --> 00:13:26,679 Speaker 1: kind of thing in Australia, honey, You know because when 253 00:13:26,720 --> 00:13:30,040 Speaker 1: I was working on this story early yesterday morning, Sam 254 00:13:30,120 --> 00:13:32,560 Speaker 1: who's one of tda's co founders. He said, when I 255 00:13:32,640 --> 00:13:34,280 Speaker 1: was learning to be a lawyer, I worked on a 256 00:13:34,320 --> 00:13:37,360 Speaker 1: case like this back in twenty seventeen or something. Oh wow, 257 00:13:37,520 --> 00:13:40,679 Speaker 1: athletes that were seeking asylum in Australia, and that's how 258 00:13:40,720 --> 00:13:42,120 Speaker 1: I learned that there is president. 259 00:13:42,600 --> 00:13:45,000 Speaker 3: You might remember back in twenty twenty one there was 260 00:13:45,040 --> 00:13:48,880 Speaker 3: a really high profile story similarly high profile to this one, 261 00:13:48,960 --> 00:13:52,240 Speaker 3: and that was when the Taliban retook Afghanistan and banned 262 00:13:52,320 --> 00:13:53,440 Speaker 3: women's sports. 263 00:13:53,440 --> 00:13:54,880 Speaker 2: So Australia actually. 264 00:13:54,559 --> 00:13:59,640 Speaker 3: Granted emergency humanitarian assistance to the women's cricket team from Afghanistan. 265 00:13:59,640 --> 00:14:02,800 Speaker 3: There twenty two women on the cricket team and more 266 00:14:02,800 --> 00:14:05,080 Speaker 3: than one hundred and thirty people in total actually ended 267 00:14:05,160 --> 00:14:09,400 Speaker 3: up getting these emergency visas that included players and their families. 268 00:14:09,880 --> 00:14:12,880 Speaker 3: So at the time there were these extraordinary stories of bravery, 269 00:14:12,960 --> 00:14:15,440 Speaker 3: these players that had to burn their cricket gear to 270 00:14:15,520 --> 00:14:18,439 Speaker 3: avoid being caught and identified. They had to cross the 271 00:14:18,480 --> 00:14:22,040 Speaker 3: border into Pakistan in small groups. Eventually they were settled 272 00:14:22,080 --> 00:14:24,360 Speaker 3: in Canberra and Melbourne, and that was a huge effort 273 00:14:24,440 --> 00:14:28,120 Speaker 3: led by volunteers, some high profile names in Aussie sport too. 274 00:14:28,600 --> 00:14:30,960 Speaker 3: So Australia certainly has a track record here. 275 00:14:31,200 --> 00:14:35,000 Speaker 1: And so where does this leave us today that we 276 00:14:35,160 --> 00:14:38,520 Speaker 1: have this team who right now, as this podcast goes out, 277 00:14:38,800 --> 00:14:42,400 Speaker 1: is potentially now landing in Iran, and then we have 278 00:14:42,440 --> 00:14:45,080 Speaker 1: the five players who are remaining in Australia. 279 00:14:45,200 --> 00:14:47,560 Speaker 2: Anything else, that's pretty much it for now. 280 00:14:47,600 --> 00:14:50,440 Speaker 3: We've got those five players, they've accepted the visas, they're 281 00:14:50,440 --> 00:14:54,680 Speaker 3: in a safe location. They're basically beginning new lives in Australia. 282 00:14:54,720 --> 00:14:57,160 Speaker 3: But for the rest of the squad, the future is uncertain. 283 00:14:57,880 --> 00:15:00,680 Speaker 3: It will be unclear, you know, what kind of an 284 00:15:00,680 --> 00:15:03,760 Speaker 3: Iran they are flying home to, what kind of repercussions 285 00:15:03,760 --> 00:15:04,720 Speaker 3: they may be facing. 286 00:15:04,880 --> 00:15:06,600 Speaker 2: But the Prime Minister has been really clear. 287 00:15:06,640 --> 00:15:09,480 Speaker 3: Anthony Albanezi says, if you want our help, the help 288 00:15:09,560 --> 00:15:14,000 Speaker 3: is here. FIFA, the global international governing body for football, 289 00:15:14,160 --> 00:15:18,000 Speaker 3: has confirmed that it's in close contact with authorities about 290 00:15:18,000 --> 00:15:18,920 Speaker 3: the team's welfare. 291 00:15:19,560 --> 00:15:20,960 Speaker 2: There is certainly. 292 00:15:20,640 --> 00:15:23,440 Speaker 3: Huge international attention on this story, so you would have 293 00:15:23,480 --> 00:15:26,560 Speaker 3: to hope that that means that the women's safety is 294 00:15:26,840 --> 00:15:30,840 Speaker 3: somewhat assured or that repercussions are delayed. But there's a 295 00:15:30,920 --> 00:15:33,200 Speaker 3: long way for this story to run. These women have 296 00:15:33,240 --> 00:15:35,240 Speaker 3: a long road ahead of them and we'll keep a 297 00:15:35,280 --> 00:15:37,240 Speaker 3: close eye on what we learn in the days to. 298 00:15:37,320 --> 00:15:40,320 Speaker 1: Come, and thank you for taking us through that today. 299 00:15:40,440 --> 00:15:42,600 Speaker 1: Thanks Billy, and thank you so much for listening to 300 00:15:42,640 --> 00:15:45,480 Speaker 1: this episode of The Daily Os. We'll be back later 301 00:15:45,520 --> 00:15:47,720 Speaker 1: today with the evening headlines, but until then, we hope 302 00:15:47,720 --> 00:15:53,960 Speaker 1: you have a lovely day. My name is Lily Madden 303 00:15:54,080 --> 00:15:57,960 Speaker 1: and I'm a proud Arunda Bunjelung Kalkotin woman from Gadigal Country. 304 00:15:58,800 --> 00:16:01,920 Speaker 1: The Daily Os acknowledge that this podcast is recorded on 305 00:16:01,960 --> 00:16:04,440 Speaker 1: the lands of the Gadigal people and pays respect to 306 00:16:04,520 --> 00:16:08,000 Speaker 1: all Aboriginal and Torrestrate island and nations. We pay our 307 00:16:08,000 --> 00:16:11,160 Speaker 1: respects to the first peoples of these countries, both past 308 00:16:11,240 --> 00:16:11,760 Speaker 1: and present.