Several athletes who competed at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games have been reported missing after failing to return home with their national teams, promp...
Several athletes who competed at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games have been reported missing after failing to return home with their national teams, prompting investigations by Police Scotland.
The Games concluded on Sunday, and authorities confirmed they had received reports that a number of athletes were unaccounted for after the event ended.
A spokesperson for Police Scotland said inquiries were underway to establish the circumstances surrounding the missing athletes.
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“Police Scotland has received reports of several athletes who are unaccounted for. Inquiries are ongoing to assess the circumstances, and early engagement is taking place with the Home Office,” the spokesperson said.
According to NBS Sport, four members of Uganda’s boxing team did not report for their flight home after the Games. The athletes were identified by Ugandan media as Nuhu Batte, Angel Katushabe, Ibrahim Kemis and Emily Nakalema.
NBS Sport reported that it had spoken to one of the missing athletes, who claimed the group intended to seek asylum in Scotland and continue their boxing careers in a country they believed offered better training facilities and opportunities. The athlete reportedly appealed to Ugandans for understanding and asked not to be judged for the decision.
A spokesperson for Team Uganda told BBC Scotland News that the delegation had no comment. The remainder of Uganda’s squad has since returned home.
Meanwhile, Pakistan Today reported that Pakistani boxer Qudrat Ullah also failed to travel home with his teammates. According to the report, officials were unable to locate him after discovering he was not in his room before the team’s departure.
Organisers said athletes were expected to leave Glasgow in accordance with the Glasgow 2026 length-of-stay policy, with accommodation ending two nights after each athlete’s competition concluded. Glasgow 2026 spokesperson Sophie Ashcroft said organisers continued to work closely with partner agencies to ensure the Games concluded safely.
“Over the last two weeks, we have welcomed 3,000 athletes from 74 nations and territories of the Commonwealth to Glasgow. As athletes and support staff leave the city, we continue to work closely with wider partners, including Police Scotland, Border Force and UK Visas & Immigration, to ensure a safe and secure conclusion to the Games,” Ashcroft said.
The disappearance of athletes after the Commonwealth Games is not unprecedented. Following the 2014 Commonwealth Games, also hosted in Glasgow, dozens of competitors reportedly failed to return to their home countries. Some later sought asylum, while others remained unaccounted for. The UK Home Office is understood to conduct enhanced checks ahead of major sporting events, and officials have said any future asylum applications will be considered individually based on the evidence presented.
