When seven members of Iran’s women’s national football team sought protection in Australia, it appeared they had finally found safety. Within days, some made the difficult decision to return to Iran despite the risks.

For many Iranian athletes, the most powerful opponent they face is not across the field. It is the regime that controls their lives.

To compete internationally, they must submit to a system that demands obedience, restricts their movement and punishes dissent.

At home, state media has labelled the young women of the national football team “traitors” for refusing to sing the national anthem. To the outside world, regime officials insist the players will be welcomed “with open arms” and can safely return without facing retribution.

History, however, tells us which version is closer to the truth.

The story of climber Elnaz Rekabi is the clearest example. Her “crime” was competing without a headscarf at the 2022 IFSC Climbing Asian Championships in Seoul – an act that captured global attention. As the world watched anxiously, officials insisted she would face no consequences upon returning home. What followed told a different story. An apology on Instagram, which a source said was made under duress, followed by the reported demolition of her family home and a period of house arrest. Her “safe return” was not a homecoming. It was a stage-managed performance designed for a global audience.

The Iranian women footballers now........

© The Guardian