喀麥隆七名運動員從奧運村消失

喀麥隆體育代表團團長表示，有七名該國運動員上週末從奧運村消失，其中包括五名拳擊運動員，一名游泳運動員，以及一名女足隊員。這些運動員消失的原因尚不清楚，不過有傳言稱他們是因爲經濟原因想留在英國。他們的簽證有效期到今年11月。這位團長稱，最先消失的是一名女足候補守門員，她在隊友們前往考文垂爲對陣新西蘭隊做準備訓練期間離開的。緊接着離開的是一名游泳隊員和五名未能晉級的拳擊隊員。據報道，此次倫敦奧運會期間，運動員消失事件已不是第一次上演了。上月有三名蘇丹運動員從奧運村消失，一名已經申請避難，另外兩名可能也會效仿。

Seven Cameroonian athletes have disappeared while in Britain for the Olympics, officials said.

David Ojong, the head of the Cameroon delegation, said five boxers, a swimmer and a female football player had been missing since the weekend.

The reason for their disappearance is not known, amid some reports that they wanted to stay in the UK for economic reasons.

Mr Ojong said the athletes had visas allowing them to stay until November.

"What began as rumor has finally turned out to be true," Mr Ojong said, in a letter sent to the Cameroonian sports ministry.

"Seven Cameroonian athletes who participated at the 2012 London Olympic Games have disappeared from the Olympic Village."

A reserve goalkeeper for the women's soccer team, Drusille Ngako, was the first to vanish, according to Mr Ojong.

She disappeared while her teammates left for Coventry for their last preparatory encounter against New Zealand, he said.

Her disappearance was followed by that of swimmer Paul Ekane Edingue, reportedly along with his personal belongings.

The five boxers who had been eliminated from the games disappeared from London's Olympic village on Sunday, Mr Ojong said.

They were named as Thomas Essomba, Christian Donfack Adjoufack, Abdon Mewoli, Blaise Yepmou Mendouo and Serge Ambomo.

The home office said it could not comment on whether any of the seven had sought asylum in the country, the Associated Press reports.

According to the news agency, it is not the first case of its kind, with Sudan's embassy confirming last month that three athletes had gone missing.

One had applied for asylum and the other two were expected to do so, reports AP.