Three more "asylum" seekers have now

"decided to return home".

No, they have not. They are going because they must. Their families are already in custody and they have been told those same families will not be released until they do return. Even then there is no guarantee their families will not be "punished" for the actions of the Iranian women's football team. 

Just imagine yourself for a moment. You are a member of sporting team. That is one thing. You are good enough for it to be the "national" team. That is another thing. You are sent abroad to represent your country. That is yet another thing.

Someone made the decision that you should not sing your national anthem at an event. It was not you who made that decision but you are told you must abide by it. You really do not have a choice. You do what you are told to do. You do it because you have been told over and over again what a huge privilege it is to represent your country abroad. You do it because you have been told how much money has been spent on getting you there. 

In a country where many women would not even be permitted to play a sport all that would matter. It would matter more than the rest of us can hope to understand. 

When you have done as you were told to do then you are told there is a problem. You should not have done that and the people who really have control over you are angry. You really should not be going home at all. Your hosts offer you a safe place to stay. It sounds good. You accept the offer only to be told by your home country that you had better get home quick smart or your family will be punished for your outrageous behaviour.

Five of those seeking asylum have now "changed their minds". The others may now do the same. They will have been told their families will not be punished, that they will get no more than a dressing down, that "everything will end up being all right". 

So far there have been no happy pictures of the players being reunited with their families. Need I say more?