Four members of Uganda’s boxing team have reportedly disappeared following the conclusion of the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, with local reports claiming the athletes intend to seek asylum abroad in search of better training opportunities and professional careers.
The missing athletes have been identified as Angel Katushabe, Nuhu Batte, Ibrahim Khemis and Emily Nakalema.
According to Ugandan outlet NBS Sports, the quartet failed to report for the team’s scheduled departure back to Uganda after the Games.
One of the missing athletes, speaking anonymously to the publication, reportedly said the group had decided to remain abroad in the hope of continuing their boxing careers in a country offering better facilities and greater opportunities.
The athletes also appealed to Ugandans for understanding, urging the public not to judge their decision.
Ugandan sports authorities have since launched efforts to trace the four boxers, while the country’s Ministry of Education and Sports is expected to issue an official statement on the incident.
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The development is not without precedent. following the 2018 Commonwealth Games on Australia’s Gold Coast, at least six Ugandan athletes failed to return home after the competition.
Similarly, when Glasgow last hosted the Commonwealth Games in 2014, Ugandan rugby sevens players Benon Kizza and Philip Pariyo disappeared before later claiming asylum and settling in Cardiff, where they continued their rugby careers.
The four missing boxers all competed for Uganda in Glasgow, with Katushabe, Batte and Nakalema reaching the quarterfinals before exiting the tournament. Khemis was eliminated in the preliminary rounds.
Uganda’s remaining two boxers, Alfred Ojok and Aziz Abdul, also failed to reach the medal rounds. Abdul, the grandson of former Ugandan leader Idi Amin, was disqualified during his heavyweight quarter-final against England’s eventual gold medallist Damar Thomas after being penalised for a deliberate headbutt.
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The disappearance of the four athletes adds to a growing list of similar incidents involving African sports delegations at major international competitions, where competitors have chosen to remain abroad in pursuit of new opportunities.
