Five Boxers Go Missing Following Commonwealth Games in Glasgow

Five boxers from Uganda and Pakistan have disappeared after competing in the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. Four Ugandan boxers, including two men and two women, failed to join their delegation for their scheduled return flight on Tuesday. Police Scotland has confirmed it is conducting enquiries into the missing athletes in coordination with the Home Office. Uganda's chef de mission, Godwin Kayangwe, stated that the athletes had previously communicated they would return home, but their phones subsequently went off.

Pakistani boxer Qudrat Ullah, who competed in the men's 60kg category, also went missing from his hotel room. Officials from the Pakistan Boxing Federation reported that he was last seen around 2:00 am on the day of departure. Because the head of the contingent held all passports and tickets, Qudrat Ullah disappeared without his travel documents. Pakistani authorities have launched a high level effort to trace the 20 year old athlete, who is associated with the Pakistan Army.

This trend of athletes disappearing after major sporting events has occurred previously. During the 2022 Birmingham Games, two boxers and three Sri Lankan delegation members went missing. In 2018, more than 50 athletes stayed illegally in Australia after the Gold Coast Games, and dozens disappeared during the 2014 Glasgow Games. Additionally, Pakistani boxer Zohaib Rasheed vanished in Italy during the 2024 World Olympic qualifiers.

While the center leaning report focuses on the broader trend of athletes disappearing across multiple nations, the center left leaning report frames the event as a high profile case that has tarnished Pakistan's national image.