Four Ugandan boxers go missing in Scotland after competing in Commonwealth Games

The police said it had been notified that several competitors could not be accounted for following the close of the Games on August 2 and confirmed officers were working to establish what had happened.

"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," a police spokesperson said, according to the BBC.

The reported cases include four Ugandan boxers identified by local media as Nuhu Batte, Angel Katushabe, Ibrahim Kemis and Emily Nakalema. 

The athletes did not return with the rest of Uganda's delegation, which has already departed for Kampala.

A similar case has also emerged from Pakistan, where local media reported that another boxer was absent when his team prepared to leave Glasgow. 

Officials reportedly searched his room before the team's departure but were unable to locate him.

While authorities have not publicly stated why the athletes remained behind, Ugandan broadcaster NBS Sport reported that one of the missing boxers said the group planned to apply for asylum in Scotland and hoped to continue their boxing careers there, citing greater opportunities for training and development.

The reported disappearances come despite Games regulations requiring competitors to leave official accommodation shortly after completing their events, under the tournament's length-of-stay policy.

Athletes remaining in host countries after major sporting competitions is not a new phenomenon. 

The 2014 Commonwealth Games, also staged in Glasgow, saw several competitors fail to return home, with some later seeking asylum in the United Kingdom.

One of the best-known cases involved Cameroonian weightlifter Cyrille Tchatchet II, who stayed in Britain after competing in 2014. 

He later rebuilt his career and returned to the Commonwealth Games in 2026, winning a silver medal.