Ugandan Government investigating missing Glasgow 2014 rugby players

By Nick Butler

An investigation has been launched by the Ugandan Government into two rugby sevens players who have failed to return home following the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

After combining three losses with wins over Sri Lanka and Malaysia to finish in a share of 11th place, the Ugandan team became the unlikely crowd favourites at Ibrox Stadium last month, receiving huge support in each of their matches.

It was also a good Games overall for the central African nation, whose 62-strong squad scooped five medals, their highest total in 40 years, including a pulsating 10,000 metres victory for defending champion Moses Kipsiro.

But when the team landed at Entebbe Airport last week, they were missing Benon Kizza and Phillip Pariyo, who are believed to have remained behind to seek work.

Unconfirmed reports suggest the duo have linked up with a friend to work at a washing bay in Cumbernauld, a town 14 miles to the north-east of Glasgow.

The duo are permitted to remain in Scotland until their visas issued for the Commonwealth Games expire on September 3, with Police Scotland having confirmed to insidethegames this afternoon that they have not launched an investigation into them being there illegally.

But Uganda's Sports Minister Charles Bakkabulindi has claimed measures are already underway to find them.

"We are using all means possible to find them because they were meant to return with the rest of the team members on Thursday (August 7)," he told Xinhua.

"We shall find them and make sure they return home."

The news puts a slight downer on the strong performances by the Ugandan team in Glasgow ©AFP/Getty Images

This marks the latest case of athletes going missing when attending major sporting events, something that has become an increasingly common occurrence in recent years.

It is also not the first time such an occurrence has happened in Scotland, as after the 2008 International Association of Athletics Federations World Cross Country Championships in Edinburgh, six members of the Eritrean team failed to return home and were subsequently granted political asylum to remain in the country.

All six became members of a local athletics club, Shettleston Harriers, which has since enjoyed much success in various Scottish and British events.

On this occasion, Rwanda athletics coach Leon Mutangana has also gone missing following the Closing Ceremony in Glasgow last Sunday (August 3).

Reports that Sierra Leone cyclist Mohamed Tholley disappeared during the Games because he was fearful of returning home following the outbreak of Ebola there have been denied.

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