Four Ugandan Boxers Disappear After Commonwealth Games in Scotland

Four members of Uganda's boxing team have gone missing in Scotland following the conclusion of the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. Only two of the six athletes on the team boarded the flight back to Uganda on Tuesday.

The missing boxers are team captain Nuhu Batte, Ibrahim Kemis, Emily Nakalema, and Angel Katushabe. Reports circulating within boxing circles suggest the athletes may have sought assistance from a Scottish coach to facilitate their disappearance. One athlete reportedly told Ugandan media NBS Sport that they intended to seek asylum in Britain.

Godwin Kayangwe, the leader of Uganda's contingent, expressed bewilderment to the BBC regarding the athletes' potential reasons for seeking asylum. "I have no idea on what grounds they would seek asylum. It is not about politics or gender issues. I have no clue why they would do this," he stated.

Among the missing, Batte, Nakalema, and Katushabe had reached the quarterfinals of the Commonwealth Games, while Kemis was eliminated in the first round. Scottish police are reportedly investigating multiple cases of athletes failing to return home after the Commonwealth Games. However, authorities' ability to intervene is limited until the athletes' visas expire.

This is not an isolated incident; athletes have remained in the UK after major sporting events in the past. The Guardian reported that 27 people stayed in Britain after the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester, 66 after the 2014 Glasgow Games, and 17 after the 2022 Birmingham Games.

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I have no idea on what grounds they would seek asylum. It is not about politics or gender issues. I have no clue why they would do this.