Australia set to arrest runaway Nigeria athletes, officials
Festus Abu
The Commonwealth Games Federation has
allegedly contacted the Nigeria Olympic Committee to provide personal
information about the Nigeria athletes and officials who disappeared
during and after the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games in Australia.
Six Nigeria athletes, two coaches and one of the powerlifting helpers allegedly absconded in the Oceania country.
Top sports ministry allegedly left
Australia seething after a woman boxer pulled a fast one on them to
disappear at the airport while the Nigerian contingent were waiting for
their flight back to Nigeria.
Sources claimed that the boxer breached
the strict security measures put in place by the ministry to prevent
more athletes and officials from running away after she asked to use the
restroom.
“The ministry officials were convinced
that the boxer would not run away when she asked to relieve herself
because she left her bag with one of the officials,” a source said.
“As she did not appear, the officials decided to look for her in the restroom but she was nowhere to be found.”
Africa was thrust into the spotlight at
Gold Coast 2018 for all the wrong reasons after some Cameroon,
Uganda, Rwanda and Sierra Leone athletes were reported missing.
Eight Cameroon athletes vanished from the Games Village, some having failed to turn up to their scheduled events.
Rwanda weightlifting coach Jean Nsengiyumva disappeared after he asked to use the toilet.
The CGF and Australian authorities, who
condemned the disappearing act, however said the missing athletes and
officials hadn’t broken any laws since they are still within their
visa conditions. Their visas expire at midnight on May 15.
Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton
warned the runaway athletes and officials to leave Australia before
the expiration of their visas, warning them that they would be hunted
down and deported.
“The compliance officers will be out
there, I promise, tracking these people down and they’ll be deported as
quickly as possible,” Dutton had told Macquarie Radio.
Our correspondent learnt that Australian
police and immigration are preparing for action against the missing
athletes and officials who will become illegal aliens in the country
after May 15.
It was learnt that the CGF decided to
contact the NOC for information about Nigeria athletes and officials
who have yet to leave Australia to aid their deportation if they
breach their visas.
However, spokesman for the NOC Tony Ubani denied any knowledge about CGF’s contact.
“I’m not aware of any inquires from the Commonwealth Games Federation,” Ubani told our correspondent on the telephone.
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