3 min readAug 5, 2026 11:04 PM IST
Multiple athletes, from several countries, who travelled to Glasgow for the 2026 Commonwealth Games have disappeared after competing, failing to return home with the rest of their contingents.
As per media reports from NBS and Pakistan Today, five boxers – four Ugandan and one Pakistani – are reportedly missing. The Ugandans did not join the rest of the delegation before the team’s scheduled return home on Tuesday while Pakistani pugilist Qudrat Ullah was not found in his room when officials went looking for him.
Law enforcement agencies in Scotland received several reports of athletes missing from their official accommodations.
“Police Scotland has received reports of several athletes who are unaccounted for. Enquiries are ongoing to assess the circumstances, and early engagement is taking place with the Home Office,” a spokesperson said.
Chef de mission clueless
Uganda’s chef de mission Godwin Kayangwe has no idea why four boxers – two male and two female – are missing from the contingent.
Ibrahim Kemis, Nuhu Batte, Emily Nakalema and Angel Katushabe were supposed to fly back to Uganda on Tuesday.
“I don’t know anything about why they decided not to fly home but I know they communicated with their team manager and said they would be coming back,” Kayangwe told BBC Scotland. “But after that their phones went off, so they have definitely broken the camp rules because no athlete is supposed to leave without permission. Their visas are valid until October so hopefully, probably, they will come back to their country.”
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The Pakistani boxer disappeared without even taking his passport, which was with the team manager. Officials in the Pakistan Boxing Federation confirmed that the athlete was last seen in his hotel room at about 2am. The team was scheduled to gather in the hotel lobby at 9am before departing for Pakistan, but when officials checked his room he was no longer there.
Not a new trend
Athletes disappearing after a Commonwealth Games or Olympic Games is not a new trend.
During the 2022 Birmingham Games, two boxers ran away from their hotel. According to reports, three Sri Lankan delegation members – a wrestler, a judoka, and a judo coach — disappeared from one of the CWG villages. After the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games, more than 50 athletes stayed back illegally in Australia after going missing during the mult-disciplinary event.
During the 2024 World Olympic qualifiers, Pakistani boxer Zohaib Rasheed stole his roommate’s foreign currency and valuables before vanishing in the Italian town of Busto Arsizio.
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The 2014 CWG, also held in Glasgow – saw dozens of athletes going missing after the Games, either subsequently claiming asylum or simply disappearing entirely.
