Five footballers on the Iran women's team have defected and sought refuge in Australia, it was claimed on Monday, as the US President Donald Trump offered the team asylum.
Fears have been raised for the players' safety if they return to Iran in wartime, after they were knocked out of the Women's Asian Cup in Australia. Their failure to sing the national anthem in Iran's opening game against South Korea drew accusations of disloyalty from state media in Tehran.
Under an intense spotlight, they did sing and salute the anthem in their subsequent matches against Australia and the Philippines.
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