Brazil’s Women’s World Cup team has arrived in Australia on a plane that pays tribute to Iranian human rights protesters.
Emblazoned on the outside of the aircraft were images of Mahsa Amini and Amir Nasr-Azadani along with the words “no woman should be forced to cover her head” and “no man should be hanged for saying this”.
Amini’s alleged murder by Iran’s “morality police” for not wearing a headscarf was the catalyst for mass protests in Iran in 2022 and ongoing resistance to the regime’s mistreatment of women.
Azadani, a high-profile football player, was arrested during the protests and sentenced to 26 years in prison. He is accused of involvement in the killing of three security officers, including two volunteer Basij militia members, as reported by Iranian state media IRNA. Under Iran’s penal code, Azadani’s sentence carries the death penalty.
The Brazilian team landed in Brisbane on Wednesday morning for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. Iran is not represented at the tournament.
According to the Sydney Morning Herald, the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) has said it had nothing to do with the statements on the plane.
The plane belongs to Argentinian filmmaker Enrique Piñeyro, and it’s not the first time the plane– a Dreamliner 787– has been involved in humanitarian efforts, according to SBS. In mid-2022, it was used to evacuate hundreds of Afghanis following the US military’s withdrawal from Afghanistan. It’s also been used to relocate Ukrainian refugees.
The plane’s statement comes after FIFA confirmed players would not be allowed to wear armbands in support of LGBTQ+ rights. The governing body has instead allowed for team captains to wear an armband around eight different social causes, including gender equality, inclusion and peace.
The tournament starts on July 20 and Brazil will start its campaign on July 24 in Adelaide. The team is in Group F alongside France, Jamaica and Panama.