WOMEN'S FOOTBALL
Sex-scandal rocked Zambian team lands in Australia
The Zambian women team has landed in Auckland New Zealand this Monday ahead of the Women’s World Cup that starts next week.
But the build-up to their maiden World Cup appearance has been overshadowed by the sex-scandal in their camp.
The head coach of the team, Bruce Mwape has been investigated over allegations of sexual misconduct.
Mwape who was appointed in May 2018 and helped Zambia qualify for the World Cup for the first time is currently under investigation for allegedly sexually assaulting the players.
The Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) said in September 2022 that it had referred an investigation into allegations of sexual abuse in the women’s game to Fifa, football’s governing body. Mwape and the under-17 coach Kaluba Kangwa are understood to have been among the FAZ employees who were investigated.
“If he [Mwape] wants to sleep with someone, you have to say yes,” one player who did not want to be named told UK newspaper, the Guardian. “It’s normal that the coach sleeps with the players in our team.”
One source who knows the players said they had received threats, not from Mwape himself. “They are being threatened with punitive action if they dare say anything about what happened,” the source said. “The federation is turning a blind eye because the women have had good results. It’s their way to show to the public and the authorities success and a good image. But behind the scenes, it’s very ugly.”
Mwape referred questions sent by the Guardian to the FAZ press office. A FAZ spokesperson, asked by the Guardian whether it had received any complaints about Mwape’s conduct, referred to their statement of September 2022 and would not add to their comments.
“Although we have no record of official complaints from anyone on the allegations, we consider these allegations very serious and have opened an inquiry into the matter,” said the FAZ’s general secretary, Adrian Kashala, in the statement. “We shall collaborate with the Zambia Police Service and other relevant stakeholders in dealing with this matter.”
According to the FAZ’s president, Andrew Kamanga, the investigation was referred to police and Fifa to ensure that it is not accused of “taking sides”.
“We prefer that an independent body such as Fifa which has the capacity to do it will be able to handle the inquiries,” he said in October 2022. “Definitely we are going to take sanctions; we have enough rules and regulations within football which we can deal with.”
The Guardian has contacted the Zambian police for comment.
It is understood that Fifa is aware of the accusations made against Mwape and has been in touch with the FAZ to investigate. However, a Fifa spokesperson said it could not comment on ongoing investigations.
“Please note that as a general policy, the independent ethics committee does not comment on whether or not investigations are under way into alleged cases,” he said. “As usual, any information the ethics committee may like to share will be communicated at their discretion.”
Zambia, one of four African teams in the Women’s World Cup, are in Group C with Spain, Japan and Costa Rica and will play those games in New Zealand.
The Iranian women’s soccer team crossed the Turkish border into Iran on Wednesday to complete a fraught return journey from Australia, after five members withdrew asylum claims they had lodged there.
Australia had granted humanitarian visas to six players and one support staff member after they sought asylum, saying they feared possible persecution if they returned to Iran.
Concerns over their safety surfaced when several players failed to sing the national anthem at a women’s Asian Cup match earlier this month after the United States and Israel launched the war against Iran. Iranian state television had labelled them “wartime traitors”.
The team, which flew into Istanbul on Tuesday, took a flight to Igdir in eastern Turkey on Wednesday morning.
The players emerged from Igdir Airport, pulling their luggage and chatted in front of the terminal before boarding a bus to the border. One of them briefly smiled and waved at a TV camera before the bus departed. After a trip of around two hours to the frontier, they went through passport control at the Gurbulak border gate before crossing over into Iran.
A bus carrying members of the Iranian women’s national soccer team arrives at the Gurbulak Border Gate, a crossing point between Turkey and Iran, as they travel to their home country after five players withdrew the asylum claims they had lodged in Australia over safety concerns about returning due to not singing the national anthem at a women’s Asian Cup match earlier this month, in the eastern Agri province, Turkey, March 18, 2026. REUTERS/Ali Ihsan Ozturk
The team’s Asian Cup campaign began just as the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran, killing Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. They were eliminated from the tournament more than a week ago.
Five of those who had sought asylum in Australia subsequently changed their minds and decided to return home, with Australian media reporting the latest withdrawal on Monday.
They rejoined the rest of the squad in Kuala Lumpur, where the team had been staying since leaving Sydney last week.
The Iranian Football Association (FFIRI) said last week that those who had changed their minds would travel home with the rest of the team “to once again be embraced by their families and homeland.”
Two players are still in Australia and have been pictured training with a local A-League club.
-Reuters
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The two players from the Iranian women’s soccer squad who chose to remain in Australia after seeking asylum have been pictured training with a local A-League club as they begin their new lives in the country.
Midfielder Fatemeh Pasandideh and defender Atefeh Ramezanizadeh were among seven members of Iran’s delegation granted humanitarian visas amid fears of possible persecution if they returned home after competing in the women’s Asian Cup in Australia.
Concerns over their safety emerged after the players failed to sing their national anthem before their opening match on the Gold Coast in the state of Queensland. Iranian state media labelled them as “wartime traitors”, with the team’s campaign beginning as the U.S. and Israel launched air strikes on Iran.
Five members of the group, however, subsequently changed their minds about Australia’s asylum offer and decided to return home.
Queensland-based A-League club Brisbane Roar announced on social media the remaining two players, Pasandideh and Ramezanizadeh, had joined a training session with its women’s team on Monday.
“Brisbane Roar officially welcomed both Fatemeh Pasandideh and Atefeh Ramezanizadeh to the club’s training facilities…and remain committed to providing a supportive environment for them whilst they navigate the next stages,” CEO Kaz Patafta said.
Photos posted by the club showed the two players meeting the Brisbane Roar squad and taking part in shooting drills.
“Thank you for everything,” wrote Ramezanizadeh, 33, under the post on Instagram.
Pasandideh, 21, also posted on her Instagram story on Monday a photo with FIFA Chief Football Officer Jill Ellis in Brisbane with a caption saying “everything will be fine”.
While the pair began their new lives in Australia, their former teammates made their way home to Iran from Malaysia.
The team was seen at Kuala Lumpur International Airport on Monday evening, checking in on an Oman Air flight, although their destination was unclear.
-Reuters
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WOMEN'S FOOTBALL
Three Iranian women soccer players to return home after seeking asylum in Australia
Three members of the Iranian women’s soccer team who had sought asylum in Australia have decided to return to Iran, Australia’s government said on Sunday.
Australia granted humanitarian visas to seven Iranian footballers last week after they sought asylum, saying they feared persecution if they returned home after they failed to sing the national anthem at a Women’s Asian Cup match.
Four of the seven members have decided to leave Australia so far. Another member changed her mind last week.
“After telling Australian officials they had made this decision, the players were given repeated chances to talk about their options,” Australian Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said in a statement.
“While the Australian Government can ensure that opportunities are provided and communicated, we cannot remove the context in which the players are making these incredibly difficult decisions,” he added.
The Iranian Football Association (FFIRI) named the players as Mona Hamoudi, Zahra Sarbali and Zahra Meshkehkar.
“After arriving in Malaysia and joining the rest of Iran’s women’s national football team, the three players will travel to Tehran in the coming days to once again be embraced by their families and homeland,” FFIRI added in a statement.
The Iranian team’s campaign in the Asian Cup started just as the U.S. and Israel launched air strikes on Iran, killing the Islamic Republic’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. They were eliminated from the tournament last Sunday.
-Reuters
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