Shiva Amini, a former Iranian female soccer player, recently shared her concerns about the uncertain future for players who return to Iran. Amini was expelled from her team and forced to leave the country after being seen playing without a hijab.
In a notable incident, six players defected to Australia after the Iranian women’s national soccer team was knocked out of the Women’s Asian Cup, with the Australian government stepping in to help them secure humanitarian visas.
Amini expressed her understanding of the struggles these players face during her appearance on Fox News Channel’s “The Story.” She reflected on her own experiences, stating, “I completely understand what Iranian football players are going through because I have been in their shoes.” She described the harsh realities imposed by the Iranian regime, stating, “You could be imprisoned, you could be raped, you could be executed.”
Having been granted asylum in Switzerland due to threats from Iran’s government, Amini became emotional recalling the nearly ten years she spent away from her father and missing his funeral. “I was in Switzerland and the regime put me in a situation,” she explained, recounting her experience of playing soccer without a hijab, which drew the ire of authorities.
“They took everything from me. I lost my family, my home, my security,” she lamented. Amini shared a memory of trying to bring her parents to see her after a long separation, which still haunts her. “I remember how happy I was when my mother visited for the first time in seven years, but that happiness quickly turned to devastation when I learned my father had passed away.”
Interestingly, most of the Iranian women’s soccer team ultimately declined a late request for asylum and left Australia. After their arrival in Sydney, the team continued on to Malaysia.
