YAOUNDE—Seven Cameroon athletes have disappeared while in
Britain for the London Olympics, the
Ministry of Sports and Physical Education
said on Monday evening.
The seven—five boxers, a swimmer and a soccer player—are
suspected of having left to stay in Europe for economic reasons.
“What began as rumour has finally turned out to be true.
Seven Cameroonian athletes who participated at the 2012 London Olympic Games
have disappeared from the Olympic Village,” David Ojong, the mission head said
in a message sent to the ministry.
Ojong said a reserve goalkeeper for the women’s soccer team,
Drusille Ngako, was the first to disappear. She was not one of the 18 finally
retained after pre-Olympic training in Scotland.
While her teammates left for Coventry for their last
preparatory encounter against New Zealand, she vanished. A few days later,
swimmer Paul Ekane Edingue and his personal belongings were also not found in
his room.
Ojong added that five boxers eliminated from the games,
Thomas Essomba, Christian Donfack Adjoufack, Abdon Mewoli, Blaise Yepmou
Mendouo and Serge Ambomo, disappeared on Sunday from the Olympic village.
International Olympic Committee officials said on Tuesday
they had heard nothing about the missing athletes.
“We are unaware of it,” IOC spokesman Mark Adams said when
asked whether organizers had heard of it.
It is not the first time Cameroonian
athletes have disappeared during international sports competitions. At past Francophonie and Commonwealth games as well as
junior soccer competitions, several Cameroonians have quit their delegation
without official consent.
Culled from Reuters
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