Former Iranian women's professional soccer player Shiva Amini, who was banned from the team and forced to leave Iran for playing without a hijab, expressed concerns on Wednesday about the uncertain future faced by players returning to the country.
After the Iranian women's national soccer team was removed from the Women’s Asian Cup, six players sought asylum in Australia. The Australian government collaborated with some players to secure humanitarian visas.
Speaking on Fox News Channel's "The Story," Amini empathized with the Iranian players, stating, “I can totally understand what those Iranian soccer players are going through because I’ve been in their shoes.”
Amini, who was granted asylum in Switzerland due to threats from the Iranian regime, emotionally recounted the difficulties she faced. She tearfully described being separated from her father for nearly a decade and missing his funeral due to the regime's actions against her.
Recounting her ordeal, Amini explained, “I just simply played soccer with my friends without my hijab, and the regime used that against me to set an example for other athletes in Iran. They took everything from me - my family, my home, my safety.”
Despite her efforts to reunite her family in Italy, she was unable to secure a visa for her father before his passing, leading to immense guilt and sorrow. Amini's mother was eventually able to join her in Italy after seven years, but Amini was devastated to receive the news of her father's death while her mother was with her.
Following the team's removal from Australia, most players chose not to accept last-minute asylum offers and departed for Malaysia after leaving Sydney Airport.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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