Iranian women’s soccer players flash ‘help’ signal after being branded traitors

Members of the Iranian women’s soccer team appeared to flash a “help” hand signal following their Women’s Asian Cup loss in Australia over the weekend — as several players scrambled to seek asylum amid fears they’ll be persecuted if they returned home.

Fears have been mounting for the players’ safety ever since the female athletes were branded “wartime traitors” by Iranian state media for refusing to sing their national anthem ahead of one of their matches last week.

After being eliminated from the Australian-hosted tournament following a 2-0 loss to the Philippines on Sunday, at least one player was reportedly spotted signing the word “help” through a window as their bus left the stadium in Queensland, multiple activists claimed.

At least five players have now also fled the hotel where the team had been staying in an attempt to avoid having to return to Iran.

It comes as President Trump on Monday urged the Australian government to offer asylum to the soccer players — warning they could potentially be killed.

“Australia is making a terrible humanitarian mistake by allowing the Iran National Woman’s Soccer team to be forced back to Iran, where they will most likely be killed,” Trump said in a Truth Social post.

“The US will take them if you won’t.”

Fatemeh Pasandideh, Zahra Ghanbari, Zahra Sarbali, Atefeh Ramazanzadeh and Mona Hamoudi were among the players who have already sought protection.

“These five courageous athletes, currently in a safe location, have announced that they have joined Iran’s national Lion and Sun Revolution,” Iran’s exiled crown prince Reza Pahlavi posted on X.

Meanwhile, the global players’ union FIFPRO said earlier on Monday that there were serious concerns for the welfare of the team as players prepared to return home.

The alarm for the players’ safety has been raging ever since the women opted to stand in silence during Iran’s anthem during their first match of the tournament against South Korea last week — just as the US and Israel launched air strikes on Iran, killing the Islamic Republic’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. 

State media commentators quickly branded the move as the “pinnacle of dishonor.”

“Traitors during wartime must be dealt with more severely,” presenter Mohammad Reza Shahbazi raged on Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting.

When the women then sang the anthem and saluted before their second match against Australia, it sparked fears among human rights campaigners that the team had been coerced by government minders.

Following their elimination from the tournament on Sunday, Iranian fans desperately tried to prevent the team coach from leaving the stadium and were filmed chanting “save our girls.”

More than 66,000 people have also signed a petition calling on the Australian government to ensure the players don’t have to leave the country “while credible fears for their safety remain.”

Beau Busch, FIFPRO president for Asia and Oceania, said the union had been unable to contact the players to discuss whether they would like to seek asylum in Australia.

“It’s a really challenging situation,” he said, adding the union was working with FIFA, the Asian Football Confederation and the Australian government to ensure that “every bit of pressure is applied” to protect the players.

“There may be players that want to return. There may be some players within the group that would like to seek asylum and would like to stay in Australia for longer.”

With Post wires