Several athletes go missing after Commonwealth Games in Glasgow; Police Scotland begin investigations

Several athletes have gone missing after the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, with Police Scotland saying, according to a BBC report, that it has received reports of multiple competitors who failed to return home with the rest of their teams after the event concluded on Sunday.

Police Scotland said inquiries are underway to establish the circumstances behind the disappearances and that it has begun engaging with the UK Home Office.

"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 Scotland spokesperson said.


Ugandan sports website NBS Sport reported that four members of Uganda's boxing team did not board their flight home after the Games. Ugandan media identified the athletes as Nuhu Batte, Angel Katushabe, Ibrahim Kemis and Emily Nakalema.

NBS Sport reported that it had spoken to one of the missing boxers, who claimed the athletes intended to seek asylum in Scotland and continue their boxing careers there because they believed the country offered better training facilities and opportunities than Uganda. The boxer also 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 rest of the Ugandan team has since returned home, according to the BBC.

Pakistan Today also reported that Pakistani boxer Qudrat Ullah did not travel back with the rest of his team. According to the publication, officials searched his room before the team's departure but could not find him.

According to the BBC, athletes were expected to leave the Games in line with the Glasgow 2026 length-of-stay policy, with accommodation ending two nights after each athlete's competition concluded.

"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," Glasgow 2026 spokesperson Sophie Ashcroft said.

The BBC noted that similar incidents occurred after previous Commonwealth Games, including the 2014 edition in Glasgow, when dozens of athletes either disappeared or later sought asylum.

According to the BBC, two Ugandan rugby players went missing after the 2014 Games and were later found playing for a rugby club in Cardiff. One of them, Philip Pariyo, was later jailed for four-and-a-half years after raping a woman in Cardiff.

Cameroonian weightlifter Cyrille Tchatchet II disappeared after the 2014 Games to escape his home country. After finishing fifth in Glasgow in 2014, he returned to the Commonwealth Games in 2026 and won a silver medal.

The UK Home Office carries out enhanced checks ahead of major sporting events and considers any asylum applications individually based on the facts of each case and the available evidence.

The Commonwealth Games ended on Sunday after 11 days of competition. According to the BBC, organisers said the streamlined event, featuring 10 sports across four venues in Glasgow, helped secure the future of the Games after original host Victoria withdrew.