Five boxers from Pakistan and Uganda vanish from Glasgow hours before their departure
The 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland, came to a spectacular close after 11 days of electrifying competition, record-breaking performances, and unforgettable medal-winning moments. Held from 23rd July 23 to 2nd August, the sporting extravaganza featured more than 2-thousand from 74 Commonwealth countries or territories.
But the celebrations have since been overshadowed by an unexpected turn of events: a few athletes failed to return home and are reported missing.
Scotland Police is investigating reports that a few athletes are unaccounted for, after failing to return to their home-countries after the conclusion of the Games.
The U.K. Home Office is also involved in the early stages of the investigation.
According to NBS Sport, a 24-hour sports television network and digital news platform based in Kampala, Uganda, four members of the country’s boxing contingent failed to report for the team’s scheduled departure on 4th August.
The missing athletes have been identified as Nuhu Batte, Angel Katushabe, Ibrahim Kemis, and Emily Nakalema.
The report cited one of the missing boxers as saying that the four athletes intended to seek asylum in Scotland. The said boxer said that they hoped to continue their careers abroad, believing that Scotland offered better training-facilities and greater opportunities than Uganda.
Pakistani boxer Qudratullah also went missing in Glasgow, just hours before his team’s scheduled departure. According to Pakistani English-language daily, “Pakistan Today”, the contingent was due to assemble at its hotel before flying to Islamabad. But, when officials checked Qudratullah’s room, he was nowhere to be found. His passport and return-ticket remained with the team’s manager.
20-year-old Qudratullah, who is affiliated with the Pakistan Army, competed in the men’s 60-kilogram boxing event. He lost to Northern Ireland’s Jude Gallagher in the pre-quarterfinals.
B.B.C. reported that athletes were expected to leave the Games in line with the Glasgow 2026 length-of-stay policy, with accommodation ending two nights after each athlete’s competition concluded.
Such incidents are not unprecedented though.
The 2014 Commonwealth Games, also held in Glasgow, saw a number athletes either disappearing and later seeking asylum.
Among them were two Ugandan rugby-players, who vanished after the competition and were later found playing for a local rugby-club in Cardiff. One of them, Philip Pariyo, was later convicted and sentenced to four-and-a-half years in prison for raping a woman in Cardiff.
Pakistan has also experienced similar cases. During the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, boxers Suleman Baloch and Nazeerullah Khan failed to return home along with the national contingent.
In 2024, boxer Zohaib Rasheed disappeared while representing the country at an Olympic qualifying event in Italy.
Such incidents have also taken place at the Olympic Games. Athletes who remain in the host country are often referred to as “Olympic defectors”.
During the London 2012 Olympics, seven Cameroonian athletes – including five boxers, a swimmer, and a footballer – went missing amid reports that they intended to seek asylum in the United Kingdom.
More recently, Australia granted asylum to members of Iran’s women’s football team after they refused to sing the national anthem at the A.F.C. Women’s Asian Cup, citing fears of persecution if they returned home.
But, five of the seven players – including the team’s captain – later withdrew their asylum-applications and returned to Iran.
As investigations continue, the circumstances surrounding the athletes reported missing after the Glasgow Commonwealth Games remain unclear. Authorities have not indicated any evidence of criminality. No official confirmation has been provided either, regarding the intentions of the athletes concerned.
