File photo: Sri Lankan army athletes
At least three Sri Lankan athletes who were part of the contingent competing in the Commonwealth Games that is currently taking place in the UK have gone missing, according to team managers, with reports they may look to seek asylum in the country.
Deputy Chef-de-Mission Gamini Jayasinghe told the Daily Mirror that a Sri Lankan judoka and an official of the Judo Team “went missing”, and confirmed that an athlete from the wrestling team also went “missing” after having tested positive for COVID-19.
The Commonwealth Games Security Department has reportedly been alerted.
Amongst those competing in the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham are 37 Sri Lanka Army athletes. It has not yet been confirmed if any of the missing athletes are from the military.
The news comes just days after at least 9 Sri Lankan soldiers jumped ship and deserted the military whilst in the United States last week, after they travelled to the country to train alongside the American troops and pick up a US navy vessel that was gifted to Colombo.
