The Commonwealth Games Federation has allegedly contacted the Nigeria Olympic Committee to provide personal information about the Nigeria athletes and officials who disappeared during and after the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games in Australia.
Six Nigeria athletes, two coaches and one of the powerlifting helpers allegedly absconded in the Oceania country.
Top sports ministry allegedly left Australia seething after a woman boxer pulled a fast one on them to disappear at the airport while the Nigerian contingent were waiting for their flight back to Nigeria.
Sources claimed that the boxer breached the strict security measures put in place by the ministry to prevent more athletes and officials from running away after she asked to use the restroom.
“The ministry officials were convinced that the boxer would not run away when she asked to relieve herself because she left her bag with one of the officials,” a source said.
“As she did not appear, the officials decided to look for her in the restroom but she was nowhere to be found.”
Africa was thrust into the spotlight at Gold Coast 2018 for all the wrong reasons after some Cameroon, Uganda, Rwanda and Sierra Leone athletes were reported missing.
Eight Cameroon athletes vanished from the Games Village, some having failed to turn up to their scheduled events.
Rwanda weightlifting coach Jean Nsengiyumva disappeared after he asked to use the toilet.
The CGF and Australian authorities, who condemned the disappearing act, however said the missing athletes and officials hadn’t broken any laws since they are still within their visa conditions. Their visas expire at midnight on May 15.
Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton warned the runaway athletes and officials to leave Australia before the expiration of their visas, warning them that they would be hunted down and deported.
“The compliance officers will be out there, I promise, tracking these people down and they’ll be deported as quickly as possible,” Dutton had told Macquarie Radio.
Our correspondent learnt that Australian police and immigration are preparing for action against the missing athletes and officials who will become illegal aliens in the country after May 15.
It was learnt that the CGF decided to contact the NOC for information about Nigeria athletes and officials who have yet to leave Australia to aid their deportation if they breach their visas.
However, spokesman for the NOC Tony Ubani denied any knowledge about CGF’s contact.
“I’m not aware of any inquires from the Commonwealth Games Federation,” Ubani told our correspondent on the telephone.
Source:AFP
