Eritrean football players given asylum in Botswana

A group of 10 Eritrean football players has been granted refuge in Botswana, their lawyer said. The group arrived in Botswana for a World Cup qualifier earlier this month but then refused to leave, claiming asylum. "We are grateful to the Botswana government and this decision shows its rule of law and due process are sound," said Eyasu Hatemarian of the Eritrean Movement for Democracy and Human Rights in Pretoria, which is raising money for the group's legal fees. The incident is the latest case of athlete defection from Eritrea.