While members of Team Nigeria have begun arriving home following their successful outing at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, the same cannot be said of Uganda, where four members of the country’s boxing team have reportedly gone missing in Scotland.
The Ugandan athletes are among five boxers reported missing after the Games, with Pakistani boxer Qudrat Ullah also unaccounted for, prompting investigations by Police Scotland and the involvement of UK immigration authorities.
The missing Ugandan boxers are Angel Katushabe, Nuhu Batte, Ibrahim Khemis and Emily Nakalema, who were part of a six-member boxing squad. Uganda ended its Glasgow 2026 campaign without winning a medal.
According to Pulse Sports Uganda, the four Ugandan athletes failed to join the rest of their country’s delegation for the scheduled return journey after the Commonwealth Games concluded on Sunday.
The publication, citing Team Uganda officials, reported that Uganda’s Ministry of Education and Sports was preparing an official statement while efforts were underway to determine the whereabouts of the athletes.
Pulse Sports Uganda further reported that a source claiming to be one of the missing boxers, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the group intended to seek asylum to pursue better boxing opportunities and gain access to improved training facilities abroad.
However, the publication noted that the claims remain unverified, with Ugandan authorities yet to confirm either the athletes’ whereabouts or their intentions.
Scottish broadcaster STV News also reported that Pakistani boxer Qudrat Ullah had failed to return with his team after the Games. According to the broadcaster, the boxer was last seen in his hotel room several hours before the team’s scheduled departure, while his passport and return ticket were reportedly still with the team manager.
Police Scotland confirmed to STV that it had received reports of several athletes who were unaccounted for.
“Police Scotland has received reports of several athletes who are unaccounted for. Enquiries are ongoing to assess the circumstances, and early engagement is taking place with the Home Office,” a Police Scotland spokesperson said.
STV also quoted Commonwealth Games Chief Executive Phil Batty as saying organisers had worked closely with Police Scotland, the UK Border Force and UK Visas and Immigration throughout the Games to ensure athletes arrived and departed in accordance with UK regulations.
“We’ve welcomed nearly 3,000 athletes to the city from 74 nations. We want to deliver a safe and secure Games, so we work really closely with Police Scotland, the Border Force, and UK Visas and Immigration to make sure everyone arrives and departs in line with regulation,” Mr Batty said.
The UK Home Office told STV it does not comment on individual cases but takes all necessary measures to protect the integrity of the country’s immigration system during major international sporting events.
Not the first time
If confirmed, the latest incident would not be the first involving Ugandan athletes at an international sporting event.
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According to STV, several Ugandan athletes failed to return home after the 2018 Commonwealth Games on Australia’s Gold Coast. Earlier, rugby sevens players Benon Kizza and Philip Pariyo disappeared after the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow before later seeking asylum in Cardiff, Wales.
The reported disappearances are likely to renew concerns over athlete welfare and the challenges some competitors from developing nations face during major international competitions.
As of Tuesday, neither Uganda’s Ministry of Education and Sports nor Team Uganda had officially confirmed the whereabouts of the four boxers. Pakistani authorities had also not issued a formal statement regarding Qudrat Ullah.
Police Scotland said investigations into the matter remain ongoing.
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