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Former Iranian wrestler Sardar Pashaei, like many others, feels concern about the Iranian women’s soccer players returning to their homeland after failing to stand for the national anthem and being offered asylum by Australia.
Pashei, who won the World Youth Championship in 1998, knows how protesting athletes are treated in Iran, and he knows especially how female athletes are treated there.
“If you’re a woman, you have another layer of discrimination. You know, so it’s sexual harassment. It forces you to wear something you don’t want to. And also, as a woman, you’re banned from a lot of sports,” Pashaei told Pakinomist Digital.
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Pashaei has seen close friends who are female athletes face this discrimination and are persecuted by the regime.
“I know Soheila Farahani, she was the captain of the national volleyball team. She was given 74 lashes because a picture of her without a hijab was published. So this is the kind of example of the discrimination they face,” he said.
IRANIAN WOMEN’S SOCCER TEAM REFUSES TO SING NATIONAL ANTHEM IN SILENT PROTEST AT ASIAN CUP
“Shaqaiq, one of my good friends, who was the captain of the handball team … she was under a lot of pressure. And now I think she lives in a country that she doesn’t want to publicize because of her security. Because the Islamic regime really went after her, even outside the country, in European soil to bring her back.”
Three of the six Iranian women soccer players who accepted asylum in Australia, returns to Iran. Tina Kordrostami, a councilwoman for the Australian city of Ryde, told Pakinomist Channel’s “Fox Report With Jon Scott” on Saturday that the athletes face threats against their families.
IRANIAN Women’s footballers train with Australian club after being granted asylum
“I know that families have even been detained. I know that family members are missing. One thing I really want people in the West to understand is that Iranians in the country have in many ways given up on the West and they only depend on each other to survive this regime,” Kordrostami said. “Coercion is being used here, intimidation tactics.”
Pashaei says he wouldn’t be surprised if the players have “a forced confession.”
“So the regime wants to say that they are loyal to their government. It was all so called playing the enemies’ game. And I am sure they will be under pressure, investigated,” Pashaei said.
Pashaei remembers competing with the difficulties that came with representing Iran under the Ayatollah.
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Iranian players pose for a team photo ahead of a women’s Asian Cup soccer match against the Philippines in Robina, Australia on March 8, 2026. (Dave Hunt/AAPImage via AP, File)
“They always send the security people with the team. They keep an eye on you. They want to keep the presence of the regime right next to you. So you always feel that,” he said.
“I remember when we left, the members of the intelligence services went behind our doors overnight so we don’t go out. As soon as we went to the restaurant, they went there, took away all the alcoholic drinks, you know, pork food.”
