The Brazilian football team has arrived in Australia for the Women’s World Cup with a strong statement on human rights.
The squad landed in Brisbane on Wednesday morning on a plane bearing the pictures of Iranian protesters Mahsa Amini and Amir Nasr Azadani on the tail.
On the body of the plane were the words: “No woman should be forced to cover her head” and “No man should be hanged for saying this”.
Amini’s death in custody after being detained by Iran’s “morality police” in September last year sparked widespread protests across the country and ignited further resistance to the regime’s treatment of women.
Azadani, a former football player, was arrested during the protests and later sentenced to 26 years in prison.
Brazil’s statement comes after Fifa confirmed players would not be allowed to wear rainbow or OneLove armbands in support of LGBTQ+ rights, instead revealing eight sanctioned alternatives for teams to choose from.
Brazil are in Group F and will play Panama in their opening game at Hindmarsh Stadium in Adelaide on 24 July.