Iranian Soccer Team Returns Home, 5 Players Withdraw Asylum Claims

0:00In Sydney, it's March 16, and here's what is going on. The Iranian women's soccer team is heading back home after five players drop their asylum claims in Australia. They left Malaysia on a flight to Oman, with plans to reach Tehan soon. The trip was set up by the Iranian Embassy and the Asian Football Confederation helped out while they stayed in Kuala Lumpur. Earlier this week, the full group spent time at the airport with Embassy staff before boarding. AFC leaders say the players seemed upbeat and not scared at all when they talked to coaches and team officials. The Confederation plans to keep checking in once they're back in Iran. Trouble started when some players skipped singing the national anthem during a women's Asian Cup match. That raised safety fears, leading 17 members, including a staffer, to get humanitarian visas from Australia over worries of persecution back, home. But five chose to withdraw those claims and return with the team. Local Iranian groups in Australia pushed hard for them this day. Claiming threats came through the staff member who got asylum.

1:02Officials checked it out and found no proof. Two players are still in Australia, now in a safe spot with government and community help. The AFC says it supported the squad through the whole situation in Sydney and beyond. This story is shared with support from our sponsor. Relax, steeper, reset faster, comfort you can hear. us-o-l-i-soli-e-sili-pilo.com