The woman at the centre of the Sydney Swans scandal was forced to seek help after suffering a medical episode, her father has revealed to 7NEWS.

The man said his daughter had been struggling to breathe but was not offered assistance, forcing her to leave the room and seek help from hotel staff.

The woman and her father cannot be identified due to the nature of the allegations currently being investigated.

Police were called to the Pullman Hotel in East Melbourne in the early hours of Monday after a report of an alleged sexual assault involving members of the Sydney Swans playing group and three women.

Five players  — Isaac Heeney, Chad Warner, Nick Blakey, Riley Bice and James Jordon — have since been suspended, although the club has stressed those sanctions are independent of the police investigation.

While the circumstances inside the hotel room remain under investigation, the father of one of the women in the room has now revealed his daughter suffered an asthma attack during the incident.

“It was a lack of response to a medical episode that triggered the event,” he claimed.

“No assistance provided or care given. Subsequently it evolved to what it’s evolved to.

“I think she was fine and then something triggered it. I don’t know what triggered it.”

Asked about the reports of his daughter leaving the hotel room, the father said “no help was forthcoming” as she suffered the medical episode.

He was also adamant his daughter was not seeking money as a result of the allegations.

“No, not in the slightest,” he said.

Her father said his daughter had initially responded to the situation with determination, at one point expressing a desire to join the police.

“When it first started, she said, ‘I’m going to become a cop so I can get inside this insidious industry’,” he said.

He said the events and their aftermath had since taken a significant toll on her.

“She’s a strong thing in many ways, but she’s very vulnerable now,” he said.

Her father said he believed the situation may never have escalated had someone simply helped his daughter when she began struggling to breathe.

Women involved fearing for their lives

The crisis deepened on Thursday when one of the women involved told 7NEWS she was now fearing for her life.

Victorian sex crime detectives travelled to Sydney to interview Swans players Isaac Heeney, Chad Warner, Nick Blakey, Riley Bice and James Jordon, after a woman made a formal complaint to police.

The players are helping with inquiries. No charges have been laid and 7NEWS is not suggesting any wrongdoing, only that there are allegations of sexual misconduct being investigated.

7NEWS Melbourne’s Mitch Cleary previously reported Victorian sex crime detectives who have travelled to Sydney for further inquiries are working off claims there were up to nine different men in the hotel room over the course of the night.

The Swans insist only five of them were currently listed AFL players, and issued a further statement on the issue on Friday amid claims elsewhere.

“The Sydney Swans can confirm that all investigations carried out by the club have consistently indicated that the only representatives of the club in the room central to the police investigation were the five players who have been stood down,” the club said.

“We have every reason to consider that reports to the contrary are simply false. We are respecting the process with the relevant authorities and will refrain from commenting on police matters.

“We would also like to take this opportunity to condemn some of the misinformation being reported and are now considering our legal position on those matters.”

As the police investigation continues, the woman who took the booking told 7NEWS she is already counting the cost of the saga.

The woman said she and the exotic dancer at the centre of the sexual assault allegations have been identified online.

“The woman told us they’re now worried about retribution and fear for their lives,” 7NEWS Sydney’s Chris Reason said.

“’I’m so scared ... this is so dangerous for our safety,’ she said.”

The players had introduced themselves as tradies, according to 7NEWS sport reporter Tom Morris.

“When asked what they did for work, the players told the alleged victims they were carpenters,” Morris revealed earlier on Thursday.

If you or someone you know needs help, contact 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732), or Sexual Assault Counselling Australia on 1800 211 028, the WA Sexual Assault Resource Centre on 6458 1828 or 1800 199 888 or Lifeline on 13 11 14.

- With AAP