Two Iranian footballers who sought asylum in Australia and say they fear death if they return to Iran support a man’s actions toward their teammates, according to reporting from PerthNow and The West Australian. The players, who fled Iran and later sought protection, state that the man’s conduct was aimed at safeguarding the group, describing his approach as a “desperate” attempt to protect the Iranian soccer team. Both outlets describe the footballers as backing him publicly, despite the controversy around his treatment of teammates. The articles frame the footballers’ support in the context of their asylum claims and their account of why they left Iran, linking their stance to concerns about personal safety and possible repercussions within the team. While details of the underlying incident are not expanded in the provided summaries, the reports are consistent that two asylum-seekers are willing to publicly support the man and present his actions as protective rather than harmful. The outlets also agree that the players’ backing relates to their teammates and the circumstances that led them to seek asylum.