Four members of Uganda’s boxing team have reportedly gone missing following the conclusion of the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, with reports indicating that they intend to seek asylum rather than return to their home country.
According to talkSPORT and Ugandan media outlet NBS Sports, the missing athletes have been identified as Angel Katushabe, Nuhu Batte, Ibrahim Khemis, and Emily Nakalema.
The quartet reportedly failed to join the rest of the Ugandan delegation on their scheduled journey back to Uganda after the Games.
Speaking anonymously to NBS Sports, one of the athletes said the group had deliberately chosen to remain behind in order to seek asylum.
According to the boxer, the decision was driven by a desire to pursue their sporting careers in a country offering better training facilities, improved support systems, and greater opportunities for professional development.
The athletes also appealed to fellow Ugandans to understand their decision and refrain from judging them, insisting that their choice was motivated by a desire for a better future.
Ugandan authorities have since launched efforts to trace the whereabouts of the four boxers, while the country’s Ministry of Education and Sports is expected to issue an official statement on the development.
The incident is not the first of its kind involving Ugandan athletes at major international competitions.
Following the 2018 Commonwealth Games on Australia’s Gold Coast, at least six Ugandan competitors reportedly failed to return home after the event.
A similar case was recorded after the 2014 Commonwealth Games, when Ugandan rugby sevens players Benon Kizza and Philip Pariyo disappeared before later applying for asylum. The pair eventually settled in Cardiff, where they continued their rugby careers with a local club.
On the sporting front, Katushabe, Batte, and Nakalema each reached the quarter-finals of their respective boxing categories before being eliminated from medal contention.
Khemis, meanwhile, exited the tournament during the preliminary rounds.
The remaining members of Uganda’s boxing team, Alfred Ojok and Aziz Abdul, also failed to progress beyond the quarter-final stage.
Abdul, who is the grandson of former Ugandan leader Idi Amin, was disqualified from his heavyweight quarter-final bout against England’s eventual gold medallist Damar Thomas after being penalised for a deliberate headbutt.
The disappearance of the four athletes has once again drawn attention to the recurring issue of competitors from some nations choosing to remain abroad after international sporting events, often citing the pursuit of better opportunities or seeking international protection. Ugandan authorities are expected to continue investigations while awaiting further information on the athletes’ whereabouts and intentions.
