Four Ugandan boxers, including team captain Nuhu Batte, went missing after competing in the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, failing to board their flight home on Tuesday. The athletes had been given a couple of days' sightseeing time before departure, but only two of the six boxers returned to Uganda.
The missing athletes are Ibrahim Kemis, Emily Nakalema, Angel Katushabe, and captain Nuhu Batte. One athlete reportedly told the Ugandan news website NBS Sport they intended to claim asylum in the UK, citing better training facilities. However, the team's chef de mission, Godwin Kayangwe, told the BBC he had "absolutely no idea" what basis they would have for an asylum claim.
Team Manager's Response
Kayangwe expressed confusion over the disappearances, stating, "It's nothing political, it's nothing to do with gender or something [like that] – I have absolutely no idea why they would be doing that." The first sign of trouble was that the athletes' phones were turned off, which was against team rules, and they subsequently vanished.
The Guardian understands the four were initially taken in by a boxing gym in Glasgow but are no longer in Scotland. The gym owner did not respond to queries. Kayangwe hoped they would make the "right decision" and return to Uganda.
Other Missing Athletes
Pakistani boxer Qudratullah also went missing, not joining his teammates on the flight home. He was not in his room when officials searched for him. The events have sparked gossip in the boxing world, with rumors that the Ugandans had paid a Scottish coach to help them disappear. One unnamed boxing figure said he believed there was "something very, very suspicious going on."
Police Scotland said it had received reports of athletes not returning home and was working with the Home Office to assess the situation. A Glasgow 2026 spokesperson said organizers were working with authorities, including Police Scotland, Border Force, and UK Visas & Immigration, to ensure the safety of 3,000 athletes from 74 nations.
Historical Context
This is not the first time athletes have disappeared after UK tournaments. The Home Office conducts enhanced checks on participants before big events due to the prevalence of such cases. An estimated 27 people did not leave after the 2002 Manchester Commonwealth Games, 66 after Glasgow 2014, and 17 after Birmingham 2022. After the 2012 Olympics, several athletes stayed. Tribunal decisions show asylum attempts by athletes from Cameroon, Sudan, and the Ethiopian Olympic flag bearer.
Historically, more than 600 former East German athletes defected before the fall of the Berlin Wall, some exposing compulsory doping. Boxing commentator Pete Carvill noted that many boxers defect for more lucrative careers elsewhere, but often face challenges: "They leave behind the discipline of their amateur programmes and usually end up with lifestyle issues." He added they often "put weight on that is hard to take off, they begin drinking and partying, they stop training. A lot of them also get taken advantage of."
Mixed Outcomes
Some athletes who stayed have faced legal trouble. Last year, Philip Pariyo, a Ugandan rugby player who claimed asylum after the 2014 Games, was imprisoned for rape. Pakistani boxer Nazeer Ullah Khan was convicted of harassment after failing to return home post-2022 Games.
However, many have succeeded. Eritrean-born Weynay Ghebresilasie, who claimed asylum after the 2012 Olympics, was the fastest Scottish man at this year's London Marathon. Cameroonian-born weightlifter Cyrille Tchatchet won silver for Team GB at the Commonwealth Games last week, 12 years after refusing to return home. Tchatchet, who disappeared after the 2014 Games and was granted refugee status in 2016, said: "Going back to Glasgow, competing and actually winning a silver medal … I'm very, very proud and honoured to have been given this opportunity to represent England."
