Pakistani Boxer, Ugandan Athletes Go Missing After Commonwealth Games

GLASGOW (GNP): Authorities in Pakistan and Uganda are working to trace several athletes who failed to rejoin their national delegations after the conclusion of the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, with officials in both countries treating the disappearances as serious cases.

In Pakistan’s case, boxer Qudratullah, 20, who competed in the men’s 60kg category, did not return home with the national contingent, well-placed sources said Wednesday. A member of the Pakistani delegation said the full team was together as late as around 2am Glasgow time, hours before the group’s scheduled departure, after which athletes returned to individual rooms provided by the Games organisers. Qudratullah went to his own room that night and was not seen again, despite passports and air tickets for the entire contingent having been held in the custody of the team’s head throughout the trip.

Government agencies are now working to establish Qudratullah’s whereabouts, though sources cautioned that any bid for asylum would face a difficult path given the circumstances of his departure. Because British authorities had granted six-month visas to the Pakistani delegation, officials suggested UK authorities may not treat the case with urgency until those visas near expiry. Qudratullah was eliminated from the Games after losing to Northern Ireland’s Jude Gallagher, and Pakistan’s contingent returned home with a single medal overall, a bronze won by boxer Fatima Zahra in the women’s 60kg category. Officials from the Pakistan Boxing Federation could not be reached for comment.

A separate case has emerged within Uganda’s delegation, where four members of the national boxing team, identified as Angel Katushabe, Nuhu Batte, Ibrahim Khemis and Emily Nakalema, were reported not to have rejoined the rest of the squad ahead of its scheduled return on August 4. Uganda had entered six boxers at the Games, and officials said the situation remains fluid as authorities work to establish the athletes’ whereabouts. Team Uganda officials said the country’s Ministry of Education and Sports would issue an official statement on the matter.

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One of the missing Ugandan boxers, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the group intended to seek asylum and continue their careers in a country offering better training opportunities, appealing to the public for understanding. These claims have not been independently verified, and no official confirmation has been provided regarding the athletes’ whereabouts or intentions.

Both cases follow a pattern of similar incidents at past major events. Two Pakistani boxers failed to return with the national contingent after the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, and boxer Zohaib Rasheed went missing in Italy in 2024 while competing at an Olympic qualifying event. Ugandan officials likewise noted the incident, if confirmed, would mark another case involving national team athletes going missing during international competition. Further updates are expected from both countries’ sporting authorities as investigations continue.