7 Cameroon Athletes Missing From Olympics Amid Asylum Fears

Several Cameroon Olympic athletes have disappeared amid fears they have fled the London 2012 Games to claim asylum, team officials have admitted.
The seven athletes, including the entire boxing team and half its swimming team, were reported missing earlier this week in a major embarrassment for the African nation.

Authorities admitted on Tuesday that the five boxers, swimmer and a female football player were feared to have left in order to stay in Europe for “economic reasons”.

Team officials informed the government about the possible defections on Monday night after rumours swept the Games Village, in Stratford, east London, that the athletes had gone missing.

Those reported missing include Drusille Ngako, 25, a reserve goalkeeper for the women's football and 21 year-old Paul Ekane Edingue, who was one of two athletes representing the country in swimming.

The boxing team comprised Thomas Essomba, 24, Christian Donfack Adjoufack, 28, Yhyacinthe Abdon Mewoli, Serge Ambomo, both 26, and 27 year-old Blaise Yepmou Mendouo.

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

The group are not yet breaking British immigration rules after new accreditation rules, introduced to bypass normal visa procedures, meant all Olympic athletes, and their families, could stay in the country until early November.

Home Office sources also insisted that all athletes were “freely leave the Olympic Games village if they wish."

Culled from TELEGRAPH