Cameroon athletes 'missing' from London 2012 Olympics amid asylum fears

[lastlid]

"Several Cameroon Olympic athletes have disappeared amid fears they have fled the London 2012 Games to claim asylum, team officials have admitted."

"It is believed to be the biggest such defection of the Games."


These guys don't want to go home...:NoNo:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/news/9458906/Cameroon-athletes-missing-from-London-2012-Olympics-amid-asylum-fears.html

[lastlid]

"In terms of winning medals, Cameroon is right at the bottom of the table," the website said. "But in terms of runaways, our country takes the gold."

:icon_lol:

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/08/08/2939102/cameroon-athletes-go-awol-at-london.html#storylink=cpy

[grahamw48]

Oh dear...hope they're ok. :Erm:

[Dedworth]

I think Arsenal FC is giving them a trial

[lastlid]

I think Arsenal FC is giving them a trial

Well one is a female goalkeeper and the others are boxers and swimmers....:Erm: :D

[lastlid]

Cameroon Olympians want to box in UK after 'threats'


"Cameroonian boxers who deserted their Olympic squad have told the BBC they want to stay in the UK to develop their careers.

The five boxers, who met the BBC at a secret location in London, went missing more than a week ago.

Cameroonian authorities said they suspected the boxers wanted to be economic migrants.

The boxers said they had absconded after they were threatened by senior members of the Cameroonian delegation.

Last week, swimmer Paul Ekane Edingue and female footballer Drusille Ngako also went missing from the Olympic village.

We cannot return to Cameroon... if we return, we will not practise anymore”

The boxers - Thomas Essomba, Christian Donfack Adjoufack, Abdon Mewoli, Blaise Yepmou Mendouo and Serge Ambomo - said that there was no support for athletes in Cameroon.

In the BBC interview, Essomba said the boxers were looking for a sponsor to take them on and to help them obtain long-term residency.

"We are not staying here because we don't like our country, but [because we] want to practise the sports we love," he said.

"We want to become professional. We cannot return to Cameroon... if we return, we will not practise anymore."

Mendouo said Cameroonian officials had treated them badly during the Olympics - and there had been differences over their promised bonuses, which had been halved.

"Cameroonian authorities threatened us - those who brought us to these Games," he said.

"When a colleague was defeated, he was asked to give his passport."

The head of the Cameroon delegation to the Olympics, David Ojong, said the boxers were lying.

They had never been threatened and were making up the allegation to justify their desertion, he said.

The boxers have a visa to stay in the UK until November."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-19242382

[Iani]

The boxers have a visa to stay in the UK until November."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-19242382

I guess they submitted a compelling reason to return then with their visa request? Owned property in Cameroon? Had good jobs to go to there?

Well ok, I'm just kidding, and know it would have been a different thing for athletes, but it sort of.............well.

Anyway, perhaps people have missed the point that they are really the national Olympic "Hide and Seek" team, and are on their way for gold for certain

[lastlid]

I guess they submitted a compelling reason to return then with their visa request? Owned property in Cameroon? Had good jobs to go to there?

Well ok, I'm just kidding, and know it would have been a different thing for athletes, but it sort of.............well.

Anyway, perhaps people have missed the point that they are really the national Olympic "Hide and Seek" team, and are on their way for gold for certain

Good point....

[Dedworth]

Stick 'em on a plane

[grahamw48]

They are seeking asylum here purely because they know the UK is a honey-pot and a country STUPID enough to take them in. :cwm23:

[tone]

Amazing, but I thought someone would try this out.
I thought Asylum was about life and death situations!

[Dedworth]

Amazing, but I thought someone would try this out.
I thought Asylum was about life and death situations!

It used to be then Tony Blair saw it as a sneaky way to secure future voters

[tone]

It used to be then Tony Blair saw it as a sneaky way to secure future voters

Stupid idiot, completely screwed up this countries resources!