Olympians from Congo, Ivory Coast and Guinea are ‘missing’
Another bizarre Olympics tradition – the “disappearances” of athletes from third world countries who never return home after representing their nations at the games.
Cedric Mandembo (blue) participated in the Olympic Judo competition lasting only 48 seconds, but now may be seeking asylum photo/Martin Hesketh
Six more Africans in London for the Olympics were said to have gone missing as of Tuesday night.
Three from Guinea and three from the Ivory Coast have disappeared as their teammates returned home, prompting speculation they will remain in the United Kingdom and try to claim political asylum.
It brings the total number of athletes and delegates attending the Games who have vanished from their team camps, failed to return home or claimed asylum to 21.
Congo Olympian Cedric Mandembo, who competed in judo, and coaches with the athletics, boxing and judo teams have not been seen since the closing ceremony on Sunday.
Yesterday officials in the Ivory Coast said the unnamed three – two swimmers and a wrestling coach – had failed to return to the Olympic village.
Reports also claimed three Guinean athletes had vanished. They were named as swimmer Dede Camara, judo competitor Facinet Keita and runner Aicha Toure, and were said to have been missing since Saturday, the day before the closing ceremony.
Two members of the Sudanese team and one Ethiopian are reported to have sought asylum in the UK.
Another Sudanese is missing, and two other members of the Cameroon team – a swimmer and a female footballer – have also disappeared while their compatriots returned home.
The London Olympic organising committee said it had notified British police about the missing Cameroonians but added that the athletes would not be infringing immigration laws until their visas expired in November.
