Ten members of Sri Lanka ’s Commonwealth Games team are reportedly missing. Some of the group’s athletes and officials are reportedly keen to avoid going back to their homeland due to the political and economic unrest in the country.
Previously, Sri Lanka's Commonwealth Games Association confirmed two athletes and a coach had gone missing, but this number appears to have increased to double figures. This was reported by Agence France-Presse via an unnamed Sri Lankan official.
"Since then, another seven [athletes] have vanished," they said. "We suspect they want to remain in the United Kingdom, possibly to get employment." The first three people reported to have disappeared were Judoka Chamila Dilani, judo team manager Asela da Silva and wrestler Shanith Chathuranga.
In order to avoid anyone else trying to escape, Sri Lanka officials did not return passports to its team members. However, local authorities stepped in and ordered team leaders to return the passports as they would be in breach of English laws.
West Midlands Police has acknowledged that more people connected to the Commonwealth Games have been reported missing. "We are aware of eight reports of missing people relating to Birmingham 2022 and our enquiries continue to ensure they are safe and well," West Midlands Police told insidethegames . "We are unable to offer any further information."
Sri Lanka's 2022 Commonwealth Games team comprised 110 athletes and 51 officials and all members are on six-month visas. The island nation has been grappling with an economic disaster for months that has triggered severe shortages of food and fuel and now civilians demanding the ousting of the nation’s top leaders which took place last month.
Thousands of protestors in Sri Lanka broke into the president's official residence in the capital Colombo as growing public anger over the country's economic collapse came to a head. Last month Sri Lanka declared a state of emergency as the country faces a crippling economic crisis continues.
The Foreign Office is advising against all but essential travel to Sri Lanka "due to the impact of the current economic crisis" although it adds that the advice "does not apply to airside transit through Sri Lanka’s international airport".
The FO also warns of further "protests, demonstrations, roadblocks and violent unrest" which could occur at short notice.
