The Australian government reported that yet another player from the Iranian women's national football team, which had accepted refugee visas, has departed from Australia, reducing the number of players in the country to just two. This news comes as part of a larger trend following the team's arrival for the Women's Asian Cup last month, coinciding with the escalation of the conflict in the Middle East. On the night of February 28, the team had initially accepted humanitarian visas in response to the precarious situation back home.

According to Tony Burke, Australia’s Minister for Home Affairs, the player left just before midnight on Monday. Earlier, on March 14, two other players and a support staff member had departed from Sydney, headed for Malaysia, which raises concerns about the future of the remaining team members. The Iranian women's team had traveled to Australia for the Women's Asian Cup but were faced with a rapidly changing political landscape that influenced their decisions regarding their stay.

Initially, the entire squad had 26 members extended humanitarian visas, following which only a select few decided to accept them amid the ongoing crisis in Iran. The departure of the last few remaining members leads to questions about how the Iranian national team will proceed post-tournament, and highlights the broader implications of geopolitical issues that affect athletes and their safety during international events.