PARIS: The captain of the Iranian women’s football team which played in the Asian Cup in Australia has withdrawn her bid for asylum, state media said Sunday, making her the fifth member of the delegation to change her mind. Zahra Ghanbari will head from Australia to Malaysia and from there fly back to Iran, the IRNA news agency said. Three players and one backroom staff member had already in previous days withdrawn their bids for asylum and traveled to Malaysia.

Four of seven members of the women's football delegation who originally sought to stay in Australia have now chosen to return home.

Three squad members to remain in Australia on specially granted protection visas