Tehran, Iran – When Iranian footballer Mona Hamoudi boarded the flight to Australia, she held one ambition: to play well at the Women’s Asian Cup.What she could not have anticipated was that the tournament would become, in her own words, “a test of everything; my skills as a player, my patience and my ability to make difficult decisions under enormous pressure”.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of listHamoudi, a 32-year-old midfielder, was part of the Iranian national squad that travelled to Australia for the competition in early March – a trip that unravelled into one of the most scrutinised episodes in the history of Iranian women’s sport.The squad had remained silent during the national anthem ahead of their Asia Cup opener against South Korea on March 2, two days after the United States and Israel went to war with Iran and killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.Their silence was perceived by some as a protest against the Iranian government and Iran’s state television branded the women as “traitors” – with a presenter saying they had become the “pinnacle of dishonour” and calling for them to be dealt with “severely”.The players sang the anthem at their next two matches but fears for their safety grew further after it was reported in the media that they were being monitored by Iranian government and football officials.Following Iran’s elimination at the group stage after three defeats, five players – Hamoudi among them – claimed asylum and were granted humanitarian visas by the Australian authorities. A sixth player and a backroom staff member also subsequently claimed asylum. Advertisement But after the rest of the squad left Australia on Mar …
