A total of 17 people connected to the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games have been reported missing since the event got underway, police have confirmed.
The Games, which have been widely viewed as a resounding success, got underway on July 28. But the enthralling fortnight has been tainted by 13 athletes, and four others who were part of the individual teams, being reported to authorities as missing people.
Earlier this week, it was reported that 10 members of the Sir Lankan party were missing, amid economic turmoil in their home country. But a police statement has since revealed that nine of the 17 people have since been accounted for.
Police are currently working with immigration officials to ensure the welfare and safety of those who have been located. A force spokesperson said: “We’ve received a total of 17 missing people reports from visiting Commonwealth Games delegations – 13 competitors and four other delegation members.
"Of those, nine have since been found and eight remain outstanding. We’re making enquiries alongside immigration officials to ensure they are safe and well.”
Competitors and delegates from Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Cameroon, Ghana and Botswana have been reported missing since the 2022 Games got underway in Birmingham.
Previously, Sri Lankan team spokesperson Gobinath Sivarajah revealed that some of the missing competitors were also members of the country's armed forces. They included a male judo manager, a female judo athlete, two male wrestlers, three boxers, two male beach volleyball players and a female wrestler.
The entire Sri Lankan contingent consisted of 161 athletes, including 51 officials, who were granted 180-day visas by the government. The bulk of the team returned home last Wednesday, August 10.
The closing ceremony for the Games took place on Monday at the Alexander Stadium. The ceremony featured tributes to the industrial history of Birmingham, the Windrush generation and Birmingham TV show Peaky Blinders.
The next Games will take place in Victoria in Australia in 2026. Though the event is usually hosted by a single city, they will happen in four regional sites in the state - Geelong, Bendigo, Ballarat and Gippsland.
