Cameroonians disappear from Australia games village
Thursday April 12 2018
Some of members of the Jamaican delegation play video games at the athletes' village for the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia on April 2, 2018. Eight Cameroonian athletes are reported to have disappeared from the village. AFP | PETER STEBBINGS
Eight Cameroonian athletes have disappeared from the Commonwealth Games village in Gold Coast, Australia, officials have confirmed.
National mission head Victor Agbor Nso said in a statement that the culprits were two women and six men.
The statement explained that the athletes left in three waves – first on Sunday night when three departed from the village, then two others followed on Monday and on Tuesday night, three others left their rooms.
Already eliminated
The five boxers: Fotsala Simplice, Fokou Arsene, Ndzie Tchoyi Christian, Yombo Ulrich, Ndiang Christelle and three weightlifters: Matam Matam Olivier Heracles, Minkoumba Petit David and Fouodji Arcangeline Sonkbou were part of a 42-member Cameroon team. Six were already eliminated while two had yet to compete.
"We have officially informed the ministry of sports and the national Olympics and sports committee back home," Mr Nso said, adding that the Cameroon team officials had already notified the Australian police of the situation.
The other two weightlifters, along with the basketball players and officials have already left Australia for Cameroon, the Central African state’s team head said.
The family
It is not the first time Cameroonian athletes were absconding at a major sporting event.
At least seven Cameroonian athletes went missing during the 2012 Olympic Games in London.
Nine, including Francois Etoundi who won a bronze at Gold Coast five days ago, went missing when Australia hosted the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne in 2006.
Matam Olivier Heracles's disappearance is the latest in the family after his brothers, Kingue Benedict Matam, Alphonse Hercules Matam and David Matam previously disappeared.