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.

Lawyer claims women were left fearing for their lives

A lawyer representing two of the three women involved in the investigation has alleged they were subjected to “demeaning” and “abhorrent” behaviour inside the Melbourne hotel room.

John Karantzis said the two women he represents were now in hiding and fearing for their lives.

“With what has been alleged, these women were subjected to the most disgusting actions and behaviour I have ever heard about in my 28 years as a lawyer,” he said.

“These women already had a difficult job.

“What they were subjected to, it is alleged, was demeaning, abhorrent and simply not moral or acceptable.”

Karantzis alleged more than five men were present and accused the Sydney Swans hierarchy of not yet being fully transparent about what occurred.

“It’s more than five, that’s for sure,” he told Melbourne radio station 3AW on Friday.

Swans coach Dean Cox said he was unaware of the claim that more men were involved, adding the club was continuing to work with police to establish the circumstances.

Karantzis declined to detail the specific allegations, citing the ongoing police investigation.

“The line was crossed and unfortunately, what they’ve been subjected to ... I literally cannot say it on the radio,” he said.

“They (the two women he represents) are suffering severe stress and anxiety. They’re actually fearing for their life at the moment.

“The events and behaviours that they were subjected to- these women feel like it’s enough is enough, but they do want justice. They want their voice to be heard.”

Karantzis also criticised the public response from the Swans.

He said he expected further action could follow once the AFL had a fuller picture of the allegations.

“I’m sure once the AFL is fully apprised of what happened, and that may be through the court process ... or through their own investigations, the AFL would make make the appropriate sanctions,” he said.

The AFL integrity unit is conducting its own investigation, while Victoria Police Sex Crimes Squad detectives continue to investigate. No charges have been laid.

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