Two more members of Iran women's football team claim asylum in Australia

SYDNEY: Two more members of Iran's visiting women's football team have claimed asylum in Australia after they were branded "traitors" at home over a pre-match protest, the government said on Wednesday (Mar 11).

One player and one support member sought sanctuary before the side flew out of Sydney on Tuesday evening, joining five other athletes who had already claimed asylum, Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said.

"When I met with them, I made the same offer that I had made the five players the night before," Burke told reporters.

"Those two women were reunited with the five other players."

The rest of the travelling squad arrived in Malaysia early Wednesday morning after flying out from Sydney, AFP photos at Kuala Lumpur International Airport showed.

There were fears that male minders travelling with the team might try to prevent other women seeking asylum.

Burke said each player was separated from the squad at Sydney Airport and given time to mull the offer in private.

Iranian-Australian migration agent Naghmeh Danai spoke to five players earlier this week to discuss their options to stay in Australia.

"We tried our best to make this happen," she told AFP on Wednesday.

"They were under lots of pressure here. They did not have permission to talk to anyone.

"Under strict surveillance from the Iranian government officials within the team as team leaders or internal security," she said.

Iranian players fell silent as the anthem played ahead of a tournament match in Australia last week, an act seen as a symbol of defiance against the Islamic Republic.

A presenter on Iranian state TV branded the players "wartime traitors", fuelling fears they faced persecution, or worse, if they returned home.

Five players, including captain Zahra