Ex-Iranian women's soccer star empathizes with national team, breaks down sharing story of father's death

Shiva Amini, a erstwhile Iranian women’s nonrecreational shot subordinate who was banned from the squad and aboriginal forced to permission the state aft she was photographed playing without a hijab astir her head, suggested Wednesday that the players coming backmost to the state faced an uncertain future.

Six Iranian women’s nationalist shot squad players received asylum successful Australia aft the squad was bounced from the Women’s Asian Cup. The Australian authorities stepped successful and worked with immoderate players to attain a humanitarian visa.

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Members of the Iranian women's nationalist shot squad get astatine Terminal 1 of Kuala Lumpur International Airport aft attending a Group A lucifer of the AFC Women's Asian Cup successful Australia, successful Sepang, Malaysia, March 11, 2026.  (REUTERS/Hasnoor Hussain)

Amini appeared connected Fox News Channel’s "The Story" said she understood what the players are going through.

"I tin wholly recognize what those Iranian shot players are going done due to the fact that I’ve been successful their shoes," she said. "The Iranian authorities enactment you successful this situation. You person to accidental goodbye to everything that you person successful Iran … Anything could hap to you erstwhile you spell to Iran. You tin look prison, you tin look rape, you tin look execution. ... The authorities don’t attraction astir who you are."

Amini was granted asylum successful Switzerland implicit threats from the Islamic authorities successful Iran.

She broke down successful tears arsenic she recalled being incapable to spot her begetter for astir 10 years and missing his ceremonial erstwhile helium died.

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Iranian fans show signs during the AFC Women's Asian Cup Group A lucifer betwixt Iran and Philippines astatine Gold Coast Stadium connected the Gold Coast, Australia, March 8, 2026. (AAP/via REUTERS)

"I was successful Switzerland and the authorities enactment maine successful a situation," she said. "I conscionable simply play shot with my friends without my hijab connected and the authorities saw my societal media and utilized that against maine due to the fact that they wanted to marque an illustration of maine for the different athletes successful Iran.

"They took everything from me. I mislaid my family, I mislaid my home, I mislaid my safety. I retrieve aft six, 7 years erstwhile I was successful Italy I conscionable wanted to invitation my parents, my family, my ma and my dada due to the fact that my dada was similar restless. He was like, ‘Hey, I wanna spot you.’ I tried to get a visa for them. This is truthful bittersweet due to the fact that I tried truthful hard with a lawyer but the authorities didn’t springiness a visa to my dad, but (only) my mom.

"My ma came to maine aft 7 years and erstwhile she was there, I was truthful happy. It was thing aft 7 years I could hug my mom, I consciousness her. When my ma was successful Italy, my member called maine and said, ‘Dad, passed away.’ And that time was the worst time of my beingness due to the fact that I felt guilty. My ma is here. I couldn’t get a visa for my dad.  … I wanted to get hack to Iran, but my ma didn’t let maine and she said, ‘No, you cannot adjacent spot your dada due to the fact that they’re gonna apprehension you.’"

Most of the Iranian women’s shot squad near Australia, declining last-minute asylum offers.

Iran players during their nationalist anthem up of the Women's Asian Cup shot lucifer betwixt Iran and the Philippines successful Robina, Australia, Sunday, March 8, 2026. (Dave Hunt/AAPImage via AP)

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The squad flew to Malaysia aft being astatine Sydney Airport.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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