Predicament of Iranian women's football team

Probably there are better subs to post this on, but I feel very sorry for the Iranian women's team and the drama which has been whipped up over whether they did or did not sing along with their national anthem when it was played. I really feel they are being used. They are young women in a difficult situation. Media have put them in harm's way by making a story about their failure to sing first time round. They had the upcoming game on their minds not to mention whatever feelings they had about what was happening on the ground and in the air in Iran. Personally I'm not sure I would have felt like singing in the circumstances.

Second time round apparently they did sing ("You must sing!" you can imagine their coaches telling them) but already it is being reported they are being targeted for retribution back home. How can they go home now? What about their families at home?

I'm mindful that right now Iran is not an attractive prospect for anyone to return to and whatever the outcome of the present war/military action (US notably Putinesque about terminology here given the lack of congressional authorisation for capital W War). Perhaps this will ultimately turn into a refugee situation for them here. Maybe this was a plan for some of them, though I doubt for all. But I really think the media coverage has unfairly and irresponsibly tipped a bunch of young women into a very difficult situation where they are being used as grist for all sorts of political agendas they have little or no control over.