Two Iranian women's footballers who defected to Australia after refusing to sing their national anthem in protest against Tehran's government have revealed they have cut off contact with their former teammates and family in Iran, fearing reprisals from authorities. Atefeh Ramezanisadeh and Fatemeh Pasandideh, known as Ati and Pasand, were part of a squad that staged a silent protest during a match on the Gold Coast in March, after Iranian forces killed tens of thousands of protesters amid unrest and conflict with the US and Israel. Their stand matters because it highlights the personal cost faced by athletes who publicly defy authoritarian regimes, even from abroad.

Of the seven players who initially sought asylum, only Ati and Pasand remained in Australia after pressure from Iran prompted the others to return home. The pair were recently granted Australian citizenship in a private ceremony with Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke, and now play for the Wynnum Wolves club in Brisbane, where club president Rabieh Krayem has become a father figure to them. Burke described the delicate process of reaching the women, who were closely monitored by Iranian minders, with Australian officials only managing to make contact six days after the protest via a secret midnight meeting at their hotel.