Cameroonians found

Missing Cameroonian athletes free to roam around in UK until visas expire

By ANI | ANI – Thu 9 Aug, 2012

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London, Aug.9 (ANI): Organisers of the London Olympics have said it would be tough to take any action against seven missing athletes from Cameroon, as they have a valid visa that allows them to stay in the country till November.

Team Cameroon had informed London 2012 organisers that five boxers, a swimmer and a footballer had disappeared from the athletes' village at the Olympic Park in Stratford, East London.

But all seven have visas allowing them to remain in the UK until November and little can be done before then, the London Organizing Committee for Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) said.

It is understood that none of the seven has claimed asylum.

"They have been reported as missing but they have visas to stay in this country until November, so right now they haven't done anything wrong," The Sky News quoted Jackie Brock-Doyle, LOCOG's director of communications

"We are in quite a difficult position at the moment because they are able to be in this country, they are able to do what they like in this country, obviously within reason, but until that changes it is quite difficult," she added.

"But we have been alerted by the Cameroonian National Olympic Committee and we have said we will see what we can do," she said.

Mark Adams, of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), added: "Clearly we're watching the situation. I would say, probably even more so than Locog, we're a little bit one stage further back from this."

"The team has raised a concern and the police are informed, but at this stage I don't think it's necessary for the IOC to be concerned about whether they will or won't outstay their welcome," he added. (ANI)