TEAM Uganda's manager has spoken out after four boxers reportedly went missing in Scotland following the conclusion of the Commonwealth Games.
The four boxers, two men and two women, have been named by Ugandan media as Angel Katushabe, 21, Nuhu Batte, 22, Ibrahim Khemis, 20, and Emily Nakalema, 32.
According to BBC Scotland News, the athletes failed to turn up for their scheduled flights back to Uganda and have since turned off their mobile phones.
It comes after the 2026 edition of the Commonwealth Games came to a close on Sunday night, following 11 days of sporting action at venues across Glasgow.
Police Scotland confirmed they had received reports of "several athletes who are unaccounted for" and that inquiries are ongoing, with the force working with the Home Office to establish further details.
Team Uganda's manager, Godwin Kayangwe, said he had no idea why the athletes had disappeared, but suspected they are "probably still in Glasgow or somewhere in Europe".
He told BBC Scotland News: "I don't know anything about why they decided not to fly home but I know they communicated with their team manager and said they would be coming back.
"But after that their phones went off, so they have definitely broken the camp rules because no athlete is supposed to leave without permission.
"Their visas are still valid until October so hopefully, probably, they will come back to their country."
Media reports in Uganda suggested that the boxers may be looking to seek asylum, although Kayangwe said he had "absolutely no idea what type of asylum they would be seeking".
"It's nothing political, it's nothing to do with gender or something [like that] - I have absolutely no idea why they would be doing that," he said.
Outlet NBS Sports said it had spoken to one of the missing boxers who claimed the athletes intended to seek asylum and continue their boxing careers in a country they believed offered better training facilities and opportunities than Uganda.
The matter is now with the Ugandan high commission who will liaise with authorities in Scotland, Kayangwe said.
In a message to the missing athletes, the manager added: "My message is pretty clear, observe the law and make sure the visa does not expire while you are still here.
"Come back to Uganda and and they can probably come back to Europe whenever they want."
Meanwhile, Pakistan Today has reported that boxer Qudrat Ullah had failed to join the rest of his teammates in flying home to Pakistan.
The outlet said that he was last seen in his hotel room, but was not found when officials went to search for him.
This is not the first time members of Team Uganda have disappeared, with at least six athletes refusing to return following the Commonwealth Games in Australia in 2018.
Two Ugandan rugby sevens players, Benon Kizza and Philip Pariyo, also went missing after Glasgow 2014.
They later claimed asylum, moved to Cardiff, and played for a local rugby team.
