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Jonty Rhodes, Klaasen, Faf du Plessis buy Rotterdam franchise in European T20 Premier League  South African trio Faf du Plessis, Jonty Rhodes and Heinrich Klaasen have ​formed a consortium to acquire the Rotterdam franchise in a ‌new European Twenty20 league, organisers said on Thursday.Former Proteas ​skipper Du Plessis will also lead the ⁠side in the inaugural season of the six-team European T20 Premier League (ETPL), which is set to run from August 26 to September ‌20 across six European cities.“This is my first step into team ownership, and the timing couldn’t ‌be better with European cricket gaining real momentum,” ‌Du ⁠Plessis said in a statement.“Having experienced franchise leagues ⁠across the world, I see immense potential in what the ETPL is building. I’m looking forward to contributing both on and off the ​field and helping shape ‌a strong cricketing culture within our team.”Huib van Walsem, chief executive officer of the Dutch cricket association (KNCB), hailed the development as a major boost for cricket in ‌the Netherlands.“At KNCB, we have long believed in the ​immense potential of the Dutch cricketing ecosystem, and the involvement of such experienced cricket figures ⁠will bring both competitive cricket and attract quality talent to the region,” he said.Former Australia captain Steve Waugh, compatriot Glenn ‌Maxwell, New Zealanders Kyle Mills and Nathan McCullum, and West Indies stalwart Chris Gayle are among the other co-owners in the T20 league.The competition will also feature city-based franchises in Glasgow, Amsterdam, Edinburgh, Dublin and Belfast.“The league continues to gather momentum with globally respected names investing in ‌its vision,” ETPL co-owner and Bollywood actor Abhishek Bachchan said.“Ownership groups ​like this set the standard for what the ETPL aims to create, both on and off ⁠the field. Together, we are committed to building something truly ⁠transformative for the sport in Europe.”The success of the Indian Premier League has inspired similar competitions around ‌the world. The money on offer at franchise-based leagues has led some players to prioritise the format ​over Tests and ODIs.Published on Apr 30, 2026  #Jonty #Rhodes #Klaasen #Faf #Plessis #buy #Rotterdam #franchise #European #T20 #Premier #League

Jonty Rhodes, Klaasen, Faf du Plessis buy Rotterdam franchise in European T20 Premier League

South African trio Faf du Plessis, Jonty Rhodes and Heinrich Klaasen have ​formed a consortium to acquire the Rotterdam franchise in a ‌new European Twenty20 league, organisers said on Thursday.

Former Proteas ​skipper Du Plessis will also lead the ⁠side in the inaugural season of the six-team European T20 Premier League (ETPL), which is set to run from August 26 to September ‌20 across six European cities.

“This is my first step into team ownership, and the timing couldn’t ‌be better with European cricket gaining real momentum,” ‌Du ⁠Plessis said in a statement.

“Having experienced franchise leagues ⁠across the world, I see immense potential in what the ETPL is building. I’m looking forward to contributing both on and off the ​field and helping shape ‌a strong cricketing culture within our team.”

Huib van Walsem, chief executive officer of the Dutch cricket association (KNCB), hailed the development as a major boost for cricket in ‌the Netherlands.

“At KNCB, we have long believed in the ​immense potential of the Dutch cricketing ecosystem, and the involvement of such experienced cricket figures ⁠will bring both competitive cricket and attract quality talent to the region,” he said.

Former Australia captain Steve Waugh, compatriot Glenn ‌Maxwell, New Zealanders Kyle Mills and Nathan McCullum, and West Indies stalwart Chris Gayle are among the other co-owners in the T20 league.

The competition will also feature city-based franchises in Glasgow, Amsterdam, Edinburgh, Dublin and Belfast.

“The league continues to gather momentum with globally respected names investing in ‌its vision,” ETPL co-owner and Bollywood actor Abhishek Bachchan said.

“Ownership groups ​like this set the standard for what the ETPL aims to create, both on and off ⁠the field. Together, we are committed to building something truly ⁠transformative for the sport in Europe.”

The success of the Indian Premier League has inspired similar competitions around ‌the world. The money on offer at franchise-based leagues has led some players to prioritise the format ​over Tests and ODIs.

Published on Apr 30, 2026

#Jonty #Rhodes #Klaasen #Faf #Plessis #buy #Rotterdam #franchise #European #T20 #Premier #League

South African trio Faf du Plessis, Jonty Rhodes and Heinrich Klaasen have ​formed a consortium to acquire the Rotterdam franchise in a ‌new European Twenty20 league, organisers said on Thursday.

Former Proteas ​skipper Du Plessis will also lead the ⁠side in the inaugural season of the six-team European T20 Premier League (ETPL), which is set to run from August 26 to September ‌20 across six European cities.

“This is my first step into team ownership, and the timing couldn’t ‌be better with European cricket gaining real momentum,” ‌Du ⁠Plessis said in a statement.

“Having experienced franchise leagues ⁠across the world, I see immense potential in what the ETPL is building. I’m looking forward to contributing both on and off the ​field and helping shape ‌a strong cricketing culture within our team.”

Huib van Walsem, chief executive officer of the Dutch cricket association (KNCB), hailed the development as a major boost for cricket in ‌the Netherlands.

“At KNCB, we have long believed in the ​immense potential of the Dutch cricketing ecosystem, and the involvement of such experienced cricket figures ⁠will bring both competitive cricket and attract quality talent to the region,” he said.

Former Australia captain Steve Waugh, compatriot Glenn ‌Maxwell, New Zealanders Kyle Mills and Nathan McCullum, and West Indies stalwart Chris Gayle are among the other co-owners in the T20 league.

The competition will also feature city-based franchises in Glasgow, Amsterdam, Edinburgh, Dublin and Belfast.

“The league continues to gather momentum with globally respected names investing in ‌its vision,” ETPL co-owner and Bollywood actor Abhishek Bachchan said.

“Ownership groups ​like this set the standard for what the ETPL aims to create, both on and off ⁠the field. Together, we are committed to building something truly ⁠transformative for the sport in Europe.”

The success of the Indian Premier League has inspired similar competitions around ‌the world. The money on offer at franchise-based leagues has led some players to prioritise the format ​over Tests and ODIs.

Published on Apr 30, 2026

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#Jonty #Rhodes #Klaasen #Faf #Plessis #buy #Rotterdam #franchise #European #T20 #Premier #League

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Deadspin | GamerLegion come back to win BLAST Rivals Spring opener <div id=""><section id="0" class=" w-full"><div class="xl:container mx-0 !px-4 py-0 pb-4 !mx-0 !px-0"><img src="https://images.deadspin.com/tr:w-900/9462947.jpg" srcset="https://images.deadspin.com/tr:w-900/9462947.jpg" alt="ESports: Super Smash Con" class="w-full" fetchpriority="high" loading="eager"/><span class="text-0.8 leading-tight">Aug 14, 2016; Chantilly, VA, USA; A contestant hold his controller during the Super Smash Bros Melee tournament at Dulles Expo Center during Super Smash Con. Mandatory Credit: Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images<!-- --> <!-- --> </span></div></section><section id="section-1"> <p>GamerLegion rallied for a 2-1 win over FURIA on Wednesday as the BLAST Rivals Spring event got underway at Fort Worth, Texas.</p> </section><section id="section-2"> <p>Natus Vincere joined GamerLegion as a winner in Group B, getting past FaZe Clan 2-0.</p> </section><section id="section-3"> <p>In Group A, Team Vitality pulled out a 2-1 victory over FUT Esports, and G2 Esports swept Astralis 2-0.</p> </section><section id="section-4"> <p>The $350,000 Counter-Strike: Global Offensive tournament features eight teams divided into two double-elimination groups for the initial stage. The group winners move directly to the semifinals of the single-elimination playoff. The group runners-up go to the quarterfinals as high seeds, and the teams that finish third in their groups advance to the quarterfinals as low seeds.</p> </section><section id="section-5"> <p>All matches in the group stage and the playoffs are best-of-three until the grand final on Sunday, which will be best-of-five. The championship team will receive $125,000 and two BLAST Frequent Flyer Tokens.</p> </section><section id="section-6"> <p>On Wednesday, FURIA opened with a 13-5 victory on Inferno, but GamerLegion responded by claiming Nuke 13-5 and Mirage 13-10. Oldrich “PR” Novy of the Czech Republic paced GamerLegion with 43 kills and a kills and a plus-7 kill-death differential. Brazil’s Kaike “KSCERATO” Cerato logged 46 kills and a plus-3 K-D differential for FURIA.</p> </section><section id="section-7"> <p>Natus Vincere downed FaZe Clan 13-7 on Anubis and 13-11 on Ancient behind 42 kills and a plus-11 K-D differential from Bosnia’s Drin “makazze” Shaqiri. Canada’s Russel “Twistzz” Van Dulken and Slovakia’s David “frozen” Cernansky each finished with 29 kills.</p> </section><section id="section-8"> <p>Team Vitality sandwiched a 13-6 win on Mirage and a 13-11 triumph on Nuke around FUT Esports’s 13-11 victory on Dust II. France’s Mathieu “ZywOo” Herbaut amassed 69 kills and a plus-32 K-D differential for Team Vitality. Ukraine’s Dmytro “dem0n” Myroshnychenko wound up with 53 kills and a plus-9 K-D differential for FUT Esports.</p> </section><section id="section-9"> <p>G2 Esports easily dispatched Astralis 13-5 on Dust II and 13-9 on Overpass. Spain’s Alvaro “SunPayus” Garcia registered 33 kills and a plus-16 K-D differential for G2 Esports. Denmark’s Victor “Staehr” Staehr recorded 31 kills and a plus-2 K-D differential.</p> </section><section id="section-10"> <p>The Thursday schedule:</p> </section><section id="section-11"> <p>–Group A elimination match — FUT Esports vs. Astralis</p> </section><section id="section-12"> <p>–Group A winners match — Team Vitality vs. G2 Esports</p> </section><section id="section-13"> <p>–Group B elimination match — FaZe Clan vs. FURIA</p> </section><section id="section-14"> <p>–Group B winners match — Natus Vincere vs. GamerLegion</p> </section><section id="section-15"> <p>BLAST Rivals Spring group-stage standings</p> </section><br/><section id="section-16"> <p>Group A</p> </section> <section id="section-17"> <p>T1. G2 Esports, 1-0, +12</p> </section><section id="section-18"> <p>T1. Team Vitality, 1-0, +7</p> </section><section id="section-19"> <p>T3. FUT Esports, 0-1, -7</p> </section><section id="section-20"> <p>T3. Astralis, 0-1, -12</p> </section><section id="section-21"> <p>Group B</p> </section><section id="section-22"> <p>T1. Natus Vincere, 1-0, +8</p> </section><section id="section-23"> <p>T1. GamerLegion, 1-0, +3</p> </section><section id="section-24"> <p>T3. FURIA, 0-1, -3</p> </section><section id="section-25"> <p>T3. FaZe Clan, 0-1, -8</p> </section><section id="section-26"> <p>BLAST Rivals Spring prize pool</p> </section><section id="section-27"> <p>1. $125,000, two BLAST Frequent Flyer tokens</p> </section><section id="section-28"> <p>2. $75,000</p> </section><section id="section-29"> <p>3-4. $40,000</p> </section><section id="section-30"> <p>5-6. $25,000</p> </section><section id="section-31"> <p>7-8. $10,000</p> </section><br/><section id="section-32"> <p>–Field Level Media</p> </section> </div> #Deadspin #GamerLegion #win #BLAST #Rivals #Spring #opener

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बड़ा सवाल : सोनम रघुवंशी को मिली जमानत का क्या राज सहित चार अन्य आरोपियों को भी मिलेगा फायदा?

After playing in just eight games during the 2024 season, as Diggs suffered a torn ACL in Week 8 while playing for the Houston Texans, he signed a three-year deal with the New England Patriots in May of 2025. Diggs appeared in all 17 regular-season games for New England, catching 85 passes for 1,013 yards and four touchdowns in Foxborough. Diggs led the Patriots in targets with 102 — he was the only New England receiver with more than 90 targets — and also led the team in both receptions and receiving yardage.

How he was used in New England could be a window into his usage in Washington. According to charting data from Pro Football Focus, Kayshon Boutte saw the most downfield targets on the Patriots a year ago (21) followed by Mack Hollins with 16. (Pro Football Focus defines these targets as coming 20 yards or more downfield).

Where Diggs led the way was in the short and intermediate areas of the field, often on crossing routes. Again, turning to charting data from Pro Football Focus, Diggs led the Patriots with 77 targets in the short area of the field, defined as throws between the line of scrimmage and nine yards downfield. Hollins was second on the Patriots, with only 30 such targets.

Turning now to the Commanders, last year Deebo Samuel led the team in those targets with 26. But with Samuel now in San Francisco, Diggs will be tasked with working that area of the field, allowing Terry McLaurin to continue stretching defenses in the vertical passing game. That is where McLaurin is at his best, and if you look at his 2024 numbers (when playing with a healthy Jayden Daniels) McLaurin saw a staggering 32 deep targets that season, the most on the Commanders by far.

For context, Noah Brown and Dyami Brown tied for second with nine each.

Another factor to consider is this: Washington’s new offensive coordinator. David Blough steps into the role, replacing Kliff Kingsbury. The expectation is that Blough will lean into the under-center, play-action passing game, a schematic tweak that will create opportunities for Diggs on those crossing routes underneath.

McLaurin will be Washington’s WR1, with Diggs slotting nicely into that WR2 role. He’ll see volume in this system — meaning he offers a nice boost in PPR formats — and while McLaurin could siphon the bulk of touchdowns (remember Diggs had only four a season ago) and Daniels could vulture some as well with his legs, there will be production to be gained by drafting Diggs in the later rounds as a WR3 with WR2 upside.

#Stefon #Diggs #fantasy #football #outlook #Commanders #signing #means">Stefon Diggs fantasy football outlook: What Commanders signing means for 2026  Stefon Diggs finally has a home for the 2026 NFL season.After putting up solid numbers for the New England Patriots last year — more on that in a moment — Diggs has signed with the Washington Commanders for the 2026 campaign. According to multiple sources, the veteran WR inked a one-year deal with the Commanders worth up to  million. It is something of a homecoming for Diggs, who played his high school football at Good Counsel in Olney and played his college football at Maryland.With many readers entering fantasy draft season, the question is simple: What are the fantasy implications of Diggs signing with the Commanders?After playing in just eight games during the 2024 season, as Diggs suffered a torn ACL in Week 8 while playing for the Houston Texans, he signed a three-year deal with the New England Patriots in May of 2025. Diggs appeared in all 17 regular-season games for New England, catching 85 passes for 1,013 yards and four touchdowns in Foxborough. Diggs led the Patriots in targets with 102 — he was the only New England receiver with more than 90 targets — and also led the team in both receptions and receiving yardage.How he was used in New England could be a window into his usage in Washington. According to charting data from Pro Football Focus, Kayshon Boutte saw the most downfield targets on the Patriots a year ago (21) followed by Mack Hollins with 16. (Pro Football Focus defines these targets as coming 20 yards or more downfield).Where Diggs led the way was in the short and intermediate areas of the field, often on crossing routes. Again, turning to charting data from Pro Football Focus, Diggs led the Patriots with 77 targets in the short area of the field, defined as throws between the line of scrimmage and nine yards downfield. Hollins was second on the Patriots, with only 30 such targets.Turning now to the Commanders, last year Deebo Samuel led the team in those targets with 26. But with Samuel now in San Francisco, Diggs will be tasked with working that area of the field, allowing Terry McLaurin to continue stretching defenses in the vertical passing game. That is where McLaurin is at his best, and if you look at his 2024 numbers (when playing with a healthy Jayden Daniels) McLaurin saw a staggering 32 deep targets that season, the most on the Commanders by far.For context, Noah Brown and Dyami Brown tied for second with nine each.Another factor to consider is this: Washington’s new offensive coordinator. David Blough steps into the role, replacing Kliff Kingsbury. The expectation is that Blough will lean into the under-center, play-action passing game, a schematic tweak that will create opportunities for Diggs on those crossing routes underneath.McLaurin will be Washington’s WR1, with Diggs slotting nicely into that WR2 role. He’ll see volume in this system — meaning he offers a nice boost in PPR formats — and while McLaurin could siphon the bulk of touchdowns (remember Diggs had only four a season ago) and Daniels could vulture some as well with his legs, there will be production to be gained by drafting Diggs in the later rounds as a WR3 with WR2 upside.  #Stefon #Diggs #fantasy #football #outlook #Commanders #signing #means

85 passes for 1,013 yards and four touchdowns in Foxborough. Diggs led the Patriots in targets with 102 — he was the only New England receiver with more than 90 targets — and also led the team in both receptions and receiving yardage.

How he was used in New England could be a window into his usage in Washington. According to charting data from Pro Football Focus, Kayshon Boutte saw the most downfield targets on the Patriots a year ago (21) followed by Mack Hollins with 16. (Pro Football Focus defines these targets as coming 20 yards or more downfield).

Where Diggs led the way was in the short and intermediate areas of the field, often on crossing routes. Again, turning to charting data from Pro Football Focus, Diggs led the Patriots with 77 targets in the short area of the field, defined as throws between the line of scrimmage and nine yards downfield. Hollins was second on the Patriots, with only 30 such targets.

Turning now to the Commanders, last year Deebo Samuel led the team in those targets with 26. But with Samuel now in San Francisco, Diggs will be tasked with working that area of the field, allowing Terry McLaurin to continue stretching defenses in the vertical passing game. That is where McLaurin is at his best, and if you look at his 2024 numbers (when playing with a healthy Jayden Daniels) McLaurin saw a staggering 32 deep targets that season, the most on the Commanders by far.

For context, Noah Brown and Dyami Brown tied for second with nine each.

Another factor to consider is this: Washington’s new offensive coordinator. David Blough steps into the role, replacing Kliff Kingsbury. The expectation is that Blough will lean into the under-center, play-action passing game, a schematic tweak that will create opportunities for Diggs on those crossing routes underneath.

McLaurin will be Washington’s WR1, with Diggs slotting nicely into that WR2 role. He’ll see volume in this system — meaning he offers a nice boost in PPR formats — and while McLaurin could siphon the bulk of touchdowns (remember Diggs had only four a season ago) and Daniels could vulture some as well with his legs, there will be production to be gained by drafting Diggs in the later rounds as a WR3 with WR2 upside.

#Stefon #Diggs #fantasy #football #outlook #Commanders #signing #means">Stefon Diggs fantasy football outlook: What Commanders signing means for 2026

Stefon Diggs finally has a home for the 2026 NFL season.

After putting up solid numbers for the New England Patriots last year — more on that in a moment — Diggs has signed with the Washington Commanders for the 2026 campaign. According to multiple sources, the veteran WR inked a one-year deal with the Commanders worth up to $12 million. It is something of a homecoming for Diggs, who played his high school football at Good Counsel in Olney and played his college football at Maryland.

With many readers entering fantasy draft season, the question is simple: What are the fantasy implications of Diggs signing with the Commanders?

After playing in just eight games during the 2024 season, as Diggs suffered a torn ACL in Week 8 while playing for the Houston Texans, he signed a three-year deal with the New England Patriots in May of 2025. Diggs appeared in all 17 regular-season games for New England, catching 85 passes for 1,013 yards and four touchdowns in Foxborough. Diggs led the Patriots in targets with 102 — he was the only New England receiver with more than 90 targets — and also led the team in both receptions and receiving yardage.

How he was used in New England could be a window into his usage in Washington. According to charting data from Pro Football Focus, Kayshon Boutte saw the most downfield targets on the Patriots a year ago (21) followed by Mack Hollins with 16. (Pro Football Focus defines these targets as coming 20 yards or more downfield).

Where Diggs led the way was in the short and intermediate areas of the field, often on crossing routes. Again, turning to charting data from Pro Football Focus, Diggs led the Patriots with 77 targets in the short area of the field, defined as throws between the line of scrimmage and nine yards downfield. Hollins was second on the Patriots, with only 30 such targets.

Turning now to the Commanders, last year Deebo Samuel led the team in those targets with 26. But with Samuel now in San Francisco, Diggs will be tasked with working that area of the field, allowing Terry McLaurin to continue stretching defenses in the vertical passing game. That is where McLaurin is at his best, and if you look at his 2024 numbers (when playing with a healthy Jayden Daniels) McLaurin saw a staggering 32 deep targets that season, the most on the Commanders by far.

For context, Noah Brown and Dyami Brown tied for second with nine each.

Another factor to consider is this: Washington’s new offensive coordinator. David Blough steps into the role, replacing Kliff Kingsbury. The expectation is that Blough will lean into the under-center, play-action passing game, a schematic tweak that will create opportunities for Diggs on those crossing routes underneath.

McLaurin will be Washington’s WR1, with Diggs slotting nicely into that WR2 role. He’ll see volume in this system — meaning he offers a nice boost in PPR formats — and while McLaurin could siphon the bulk of touchdowns (remember Diggs had only four a season ago) and Daniels could vulture some as well with his legs, there will be production to be gained by drafting Diggs in the later rounds as a WR3 with WR2 upside.

#Stefon #Diggs #fantasy #football #outlook #Commanders #signing #means

Two former Iranian women footballers said Thursday they were “proud” to have been granted Australian citizenship after being branded traitors at home for refusing to sing the national anthem before a game.

Fatemeh Pasandideh and Atefeh Ramezanisadeh were members of a group of seven from Iran’s delegation who asked for Australia’s protection following the high-profile protest during the women’s Asian Cup in March.

With their demands for protection an embarrassment for Iran’s leaders but lauded by US President Donald Trump, five later changed their minds and returned home.

Pasandideh and Ramezanisadeh stayed, however, and were granted Australian citizenship at a ceremony on Wednesday overseen by interior minister Tony Burke.

“Yesterday was a truly special and unforgettable day for me. I feel proud and deeply grateful to become an Australian citizen,” Ramezanisadeh said in a statement.

“After everything we’ve been through and all the challenges we faced, this moment means more than words can express,” Pasandideh added.

A week after seeking asylum, the pair was pictured smiling and training with Australian club Brisbane Roar, which on Wednesday congratulated the pair.

“What they have been through since February is more than most people deal with in a lifetime,” a spokesman for the club said.

“To see them arrive at this point is something everyone here at Brisbane Roar is glad to have had a small part in,” they added.

“Queensland is their home now. If they ever want to pull on a training top and come back out with us, the door will always stay open.”

ALSO READ: Iran women football players thank Australian government for protection

The plight of the rest of the team remains unclear since their return to Iran.

AFP reporters saw them cross into their homeland from Turkey on a bus wearing the national team tracksuits and with their hair covered.

Soon after, Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said on X that the players and their support team were “children of the homeland and the people of Iran embrace them”.

By returning, they had “disappointed the enemies (of Iran) and did not surrender to deception and intimidation by anti-Iran elements”, he added.

Published on Aug 06, 2026

#Iranian #women #footballers #granted #Australian #citizenship">Former Iranian women footballers granted Australian citizenship  Two former Iranian women footballers said Thursday they were “proud” to have been granted Australian citizenship after being branded traitors at home for refusing to sing the national anthem before a game.Fatemeh Pasandideh and Atefeh Ramezanisadeh were members of a group of seven from Iran’s delegation who asked for Australia’s protection following the high-profile protest during the women’s Asian Cup in March.With their demands for protection an embarrassment for Iran’s leaders but lauded by US President Donald Trump, five later changed their minds and returned home.Pasandideh and Ramezanisadeh stayed, however, and were granted Australian citizenship at a ceremony on Wednesday overseen by interior minister Tony Burke.“Yesterday was a truly special and unforgettable day for me. I feel proud and deeply grateful to become an Australian citizen,” Ramezanisadeh said in a statement.“After everything we’ve been through and all the challenges we faced, this moment means more than words can express,” Pasandideh added.A week after seeking asylum, the pair was pictured smiling and training with Australian club Brisbane Roar, which on Wednesday congratulated the pair.“What they have been through since February is more than most people deal with in a lifetime,” a spokesman for the club said.“To see them arrive at this point is something everyone here at Brisbane Roar is glad to have had a small part in,” they added.“Queensland is their home now. If they ever want to pull on a training top and come back out with us, the door will always stay open.”ALSO READ: Iran women football players thank Australian government for protectionThe plight of the rest of the team remains unclear since their return to Iran.AFP reporters saw them cross into their homeland from Turkey on a bus wearing the national team tracksuits and with their hair covered.Soon after, Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said on        X that the players and their support team were “children of the homeland and the people of Iran embrace them”.By returning, they had “disappointed the enemies (of Iran) and did not surrender to deception and intimidation by anti-Iran elements”, he added.Published on Aug 06, 2026  #Iranian #women #footballers #granted #Australian #citizenship

Iran women football players thank Australian government for protection

The plight of the rest of the team remains unclear since their return to Iran.

AFP reporters saw them cross into their homeland from Turkey on a bus wearing the national team tracksuits and with their hair covered.

Soon after, Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said on X that the players and their support team were “children of the homeland and the people of Iran embrace them”.

By returning, they had “disappointed the enemies (of Iran) and did not surrender to deception and intimidation by anti-Iran elements”, he added.

Published on Aug 06, 2026

#Iranian #women #footballers #granted #Australian #citizenship">Former Iranian women footballers granted Australian citizenship

Two former Iranian women footballers said Thursday they were “proud” to have been granted Australian citizenship after being branded traitors at home for refusing to sing the national anthem before a game.

Fatemeh Pasandideh and Atefeh Ramezanisadeh were members of a group of seven from Iran’s delegation who asked for Australia’s protection following the high-profile protest during the women’s Asian Cup in March.

With their demands for protection an embarrassment for Iran’s leaders but lauded by US President Donald Trump, five later changed their minds and returned home.

Pasandideh and Ramezanisadeh stayed, however, and were granted Australian citizenship at a ceremony on Wednesday overseen by interior minister Tony Burke.

“Yesterday was a truly special and unforgettable day for me. I feel proud and deeply grateful to become an Australian citizen,” Ramezanisadeh said in a statement.

“After everything we’ve been through and all the challenges we faced, this moment means more than words can express,” Pasandideh added.

A week after seeking asylum, the pair was pictured smiling and training with Australian club Brisbane Roar, which on Wednesday congratulated the pair.

“What they have been through since February is more than most people deal with in a lifetime,” a spokesman for the club said.

“To see them arrive at this point is something everyone here at Brisbane Roar is glad to have had a small part in,” they added.

“Queensland is their home now. If they ever want to pull on a training top and come back out with us, the door will always stay open.”

ALSO READ: Iran women football players thank Australian government for protection

The plight of the rest of the team remains unclear since their return to Iran.

AFP reporters saw them cross into their homeland from Turkey on a bus wearing the national team tracksuits and with their hair covered.

Soon after, Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said on X that the players and their support team were “children of the homeland and the people of Iran embrace them”.

By returning, they had “disappointed the enemies (of Iran) and did not surrender to deception and intimidation by anti-Iran elements”, he added.

Published on Aug 06, 2026

#Iranian #women #footballers #granted #Australian #citizenship

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