Media reports 5th Iranian soccer team member gives up asylum in Australia

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — A fifth member of the Iranian women’s soccer team who accepted a refugee visa to stay in Australia has left the country, Australian Broadcasting Corp. reported.

Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke’s office on Monday did not immediately confirm the news media report that the player departed on Sunday.

The reported departure leaves two of an initial seven squad members in Australia.

Burke reported on Sunday that two players and a team support staff member had left Sydney for Malaysia on Saturday.

Iran’s team arrived in Australia for the Women’s Asian Cup last month, before the war in the Middle East began on Feb. 28.

Initially, six players and a support staff member from a squad list of 26 players accepted humanitarian visas to stay in Australia before the rest of the Iranian contingent flew from Sydney to Kuala Lumpur on March 10.

Another later changed her mind and left Australia.

The rest of the team has remained in Kuala Lumpur since they left Australia.