Iranian women’s soccer player refuses to board plane home at last minute — as 7 claim asylum in Australia

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A member of the Iranian women’s soccer team refused to board a flight in Australia at the last minute Tuesday — making an at-the-wire plea to join a number of her teammates already granted asylum there. The players who have sought asylum say they are afraid they will be persecuted if they return home amid the US and Israeli attacks on Iran. The last-minute rogue player, who hasn’t been named, made her Hail Mary pitch as the remainder of the team boarded a flight at Sydney airport, sources told

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