Athletes from Uganda and Pakistan missing after Commonwealth Games
Reports indicate that athletes from Uganda and Pakistan have gone missing after the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. Authorities are investigating the disappearances.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
Several athletes who competed in the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow have failed to return to their home countries after the event ended on Sunday. Police Scotland have confirmed that four members of Uganda's boxing team are missing, along with an unspecified number of boxers from Pakistan. The athletes were due to board flights home on Monday evening but did not turn up.
Three of the missing athletes have been named as Angel Katashabi, Nuhu Bhatti and Emily Nakalima. A Ugandan news outlet, NBS News, reported that one of the missing boxers told them he wants to claim asylum in the UK in order to further his boxing career. A team member had previously told a Ugandan sports website that athletes intended to seek asylum in Scotland.
Police Scotland said they are aware of the situation and are working closely with the Home Office to investigate. Commonwealth Sports, the organisers of the Games, stated that athletes are given visas with a set departure date, and that their accommodation must be vacated two days after the close of the Games. The team boss of the Ugandan team has said that the athletes' visas last until October and urged them not to overstay their permits.
This is not the first time athletes have gone missing after a major sporting event in Glasgow. During the 2014 Commonwealth Games, dozens of athletes were reported missing, with some later claiming asylum in the UK or other host countries, while others were never located. The Ugandan Ministry of Sport and Education is said to be preparing an official statement on the matter.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | Channel 5 | BBC News | BBC One |
|---|---|---|---|
| Several Commonwealth Games athletes, including boxers from Uganda and Pakistan, have not returned to their home countries; some reports suggest they may seek asylum in the UK. | |||
| The Ugandan team boss said the athletes' visas last until October and urged them not to overstay. | · | · | |
| Three missing athletes were named as Angel Katashabi, Nuhu Bhatti, and Emily Nakalima. | · | · |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
BBC News gave a brief, neutral mention of the story, focusing on the fact that athletes from Uganda and Pakistan are unaccounted for and the possibility of asylum. The report was part of a broader bulletin that included unrelated stories about FIFA and Jeffrey Epstein, indicating the story was not the main focus.
- “Several athletes who competed in the Commonwealth Games in Scotland have failed to return to their home countries after the event ended on Sunday.”
- “A number of boxers from Uganda and Pakistan are unaccounted for.”
- “Some reports say they may be intending to seek asylum in the UK.”
This channel provided a concise, factual report specifying that four members of Uganda's boxing team are missing, citing Police Scotland. It also included the asylum intention from a team member, as reported by a Ugandan sports website. The story was presented as a brief news item among other headlines about Ukraine and flea treatments.
- “Four members of Uganda's boxing team have gone missing after the Glasgow Commonwealth Games, Police Scotland have said.”
- “They failed to board their flight home yesterday.”
- “Previously a team member had told a Ugandan sports website that athletes intended to seek asylum in Scotland.”
This channel provided the most detailed coverage, with a live report from Glasgow. It named three specific missing athletes, highlighted the asylum motive as reported by NBS News, and gave context about previous missing athletes at the 2014 Games. The tone was investigative and narrative, focusing on the human story and the logistical details of visas and accommodation.
- “We can show you three of them. This is Angel Katashabi, Nuhu Bhatti and Emily Nakalima.”
- “Ugandan outlet, NBS News, say they have spoken to one of the missing boxers who said that he wants to claim asylum here in the UK, in a bid to further his boxing career.”
- “The team boss of the Ugandan team has now spoken to the BBC and said that their visas last until October and has urged his athletes not to overstay their permits.”
Broadcast Timeline
News broadcasts tracked for this story, in time order.