Ghotbi calls Iran women ‘heroes’ after anthem protest as safety fears grow

Former Iran men’s head coach Afshin Ghotbi has praised Iran’s women’s national team after they declined to sing the country’s national anthem at the Asian Cup, a gesture that triggered safety concerns and political backlash.Iran’s players stood silent during the anthem before their opening match against South Korea on March 2.Ghotbi said: “These women… have become symbolic, they become heroes. Everyone around the world will be following up and how they’re treated and what’s going to happen to them, so I hope that politicians on all sides just leave them alone and let them live their lives.”The episode has unfolded amid escalating conflict following strikes by the United States and Israel on Iran since February 28, and Iran’s subsequent missile and drone launches towards Israel and Gulf countries hosting US military bases.The backdrop has also included renewed attention on unrest inside Iran, with human rights groups alleging large-scale fatalities during anti-government protests in December and January.Ghotbi said the pre-match moment captured the pressures athletes face when national teams become a proxy battleground for politics.Ghotbi said: “Imagine the pressure. You want to compete at your best, but then before even the game starts you have to decide how you’re going to stand, how you’re going to look and what you’re going to do. I just think that’s so unfair.”Iran later sang and saluted during the anthem in subsequent matches against hosts Australia and the Philippines, prompting speculation that officials travelling with the delegation may have influenced the team’s approach.Ghotbi said he saw similar dynamics around Iran’s men’s team at the 2022 World Cup, describing the competing expectations placed on players.Ghotbi said: “The players were confused about what to do. If they salute and sing the national anthem, they are embraced and endeared by the government. If they do that, the fans, the Iranian people hate them.”After Iran’s elimination from the tournament, concerns about the squad’s welfare increased when footage circulated of a state television host calling the players “traitors” who should be punished for refusing to sing the anthem.Five members of the team were granted humanitarian visas to remain in Australia, while the remaining players flew out of the country on Tuesday night.Ghotbi said the players’ actions reflected a broader demand for basic freedoms and urged that the squad be allowed to return to normal life without reprisals.Tournament organisers and player welfare groups have faced growing scrutiny globally over how national-team athletes are protected when political flashpoints follow them into international competition.