The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Gold Coast, Australia | THE INDEPENDENT | Two Ugandan athletes and one from Rwanda have reportedly disappeared from the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast. URN has established that the two Ugandans are weighlifters.
David Grevemberg, chief executive of the Commonwealth Games Federation reportedly said on Thursday morning that some Uganda and Rwanda athletes did not return to the Village. ” We are monitoring the situation, ” he added.
When contacted on phone, the National Council of Sports (NCS) assistant general secretary who is also the team manager, Patrick Ogwel confirmed that two weightlifters did not return last night to the Village. “We are having a meeting in an hour to understand the whole matter because the weightlifting official told us the two athletes had gone visiting,” said Ogwel on phone from Australia.
Ogwel said they will come out with an official position after the meeting. Although he did not mention the names of the athletes, the weightlifting team has Irene Kasubo, Kalidi Batuusa, Julius Ssekitoleko and Hakim Ssempereza. Uganda sent 69 athletes to the Games to participate in 11 disciplines.
There are also reports suggesting two Sierra Leone squash players could have gone missing.
On Tuesday eight Cameroon athletes, six men and two women, were confirmed missing. They were named as boxers Simplice Fotsala, Arsene Fokou, Ndzie Tchoyi, Ulrich Yombo and Christelle Ndiang and weightlifters Olivier Matam, David Minkoumba Petit and Arcangeline Sonkbou Fouodji.
All athletes and officials have valid visas in Australia until May 15 and the Australian authorities have said they will not take action on any athletes who disappear before then.
