The ‘return’ of the Iranian Women’s National Football Team
Seven members of the Iranian women’s national football team sought asylum in Australia out of fear for their future. However, after their applications were approved, most of them chose to abandon the asylum and return to Iran, again out of fear. At present, only two players remain in Australia.
In 1936, American author Dale Carnegie published his famous classic How to Win Friends and Influence People. In it, he wrote: “Fear mostly stems from ignorance and uncertainty.” In light of the above asylum incident, this statement is rather poignant.
Many people feel a deep sense of pity for the five female soccer players who gave up their freedom to return to bondage. Although they have not publicly stated the real reasons, it is imaginable that the fear lurking deep within their hearts is something bystanders cannot truly comprehend, let alone endure.
People who live in free societies often find it difficult to comprehend the operational logic of totalitarian regimes. A distinctive feature of such regimes is that they treat ordinary citizens as “bargaining chips” to be used at any time. They resort to using the safety of family members as the price to force individuals into submission.
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