Uganda Athletes Missing After Commonwealth Games as UK Authorities Investigate Visa Concerns

Police Scotland has launched enquiries after several athletes failed to return home following the conclusion of the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, prompting liaison with the Home Office as officials establish the circumstances surrounding their disappearance.

The missing competitors include four members of Uganda's boxing team and Pakistani boxer Qudratullah, who were reported absent when their national delegations prepared to leave Scotland after the Games ended on 2 August. Authorities have not indicated that any criminal offence has taken place.

Ugandan sports outlet NBS Sport reported that one of the missing athletes said the group intended to seek asylum in Scotland so they could continue their boxing careers, citing better training opportunities. Police Scotland has not confirmed those claims, and the Home Office said it does not routinely comment on individual asylum applications.

Missing Athletes Identified

Police Scotland confirmed it had received reports that several athletes were unaccounted for and said enquiries were under way while officers engaged with the Home Office to assess the circumstances.

Ugandan media identified the four missing boxers as Nuhu Batte, Angel Katushabe, Ibrahim Kemis and Emily Nakalema. The athletes failed to rejoin the rest of the Ugandan delegation before its scheduled departure from Scotland on Tuesday.

Pakistani media also reported that boxer Qudratullah did not board his team's return flight after officials found he was no longer in his room at the athletes' accommodation.

A spokesperson for Team Uganda told BBC Scotland News the delegation had no comment. The remainder of Uganda's team has since returned home.

Police and Organisers Respond

The Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games brought together almost 3,000 athletes from 74 nations and territories during 11 days of competition before concluding on Sunday.

Games organisers said they had worked throughout the event with Police Scotland, Border Force and UK Visas and Immigration to help ensure athletes arrived and departed in accordance with immigration requirements.

Under the Games' length-of-stay policy, competitors were expected to leave official accommodation within two nights of completing their final event.

The Home Office is understood to carry out enhanced immigration checks before major international sporting events and said any future asylum applications would be considered on their individual merits in line with UK law and the country's international obligations.

Previous Commonwealth Games Cases

The latest disappearances follow similar incidents after previous Commonwealth Games, particularly the 2014 event, which was also held in Glasgow.

Following those Games, a number of athletes remained in the UK after their visas expired, with some later seeking asylum or remaining in Britain.

Ugandan media had spoken to one of the missing Ugandan athletes, who said the group hoped to continue their boxing careers in Scotland because they believed greater training opportunities were available. Those claims have not been independently verified by UK authorities.

Police Scotland has not confirmed the athletes' immigration intentions, and no asylum applications have been announced publicly.

The Home Office said it does not routinely comment on individual cases, while Police Scotland said enquiries into the whereabouts of the missing athletes remain ongoing as officials continue working with partner agencies following the conclusion of the Games.