Four Ugandan athletes have reportedly sought asylum in Scotland after failing to return home with the rest of their country’s contingent following the conclusion of the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
The athletes were among several competitors reported missing after the Games ended on August 2, with Police Scotland confirming it had received reports that a number of participants remained “unaccounted for” after the 11-day sporting event.
According to sports outlet NBS Sport, four members of Uganda’s boxing team did not board their scheduled flight back home.
The athletes were identified as Nuhu Batte, Angel Katushabe, Ibrahim Kemis and Emily Nakalema.
The publication reported that one of the boxers said the group decided to remain in Scotland to seek asylum, citing the desire for improved training facilities and better opportunities to advance their boxing careers.
The boxer appealed to Ugandans for understanding and urged them not to judge their decision.
A spokesperson for Team Uganda told BBC Scotland News on Wednesday that the delegation had no comment on the development.
Pakistan also recorded a similar incident after boxer Qudrat Ullah failed to travel home with the country’s team. Officials reportedly discovered he was missing from his room while preparing for the team’s departure.
The latest cases echo similar incidents at previous Commonwealth Games.
During the 2014 edition in Glasgow, dozens of athletes either disappeared after the competition or later applied for asylum.
Under Glasgow 2026 regulations, athletes were required to leave the Games Village within two nights of completing their events.
At the 2014 Games, two Ugandan rugby players disappeared before later resurfacing with a rugby club in Cardiff. One of them, Philip Pariyo, was subsequently sentenced to four-and-a-half years in prison after being convicted of raping a woman in Cardiff.
Another athlete, Cameroonian weightlifter Cyrille Tchatchet II, also disappeared after the 2014 Games in an attempt to flee his home country. He returned to compete at the 2026 Commonwealth Games, where he claimed a silver medal.
UK authorities are understood to conduct enhanced screening of participants before major sporting competitions, including the Commonwealth Games, while working with organisers to strengthen border and entry procedures.
Officials added that any asylum applications lodged by athletes would be assessed individually, with each case determined on its own merits and the available evidence.
