Eight Cameroon Athletes Vanish From Commonwealth Games

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A total of eight athletes from conflict-hit Cameroon are now missing from the Commonwealth Games in Australia, team officials said Wednesday.

Out of the total team of 24 members, five boxers and three weightlifters have disappeared over the space of three days, the statement said.

They left in waves, with three going missing on the night of April 8, another two vanishing on April 9 before the remaining group left at night on April 10. Two of the eight left without competing.

Team attache Simon Molombe said he did not expect them to return. "I don't think they will be back," Cameroon's Molombe told CNN Sport, confirming their disappearance had been reported to Australian police.


According to the team statement, the missing athletes are:

    Weight lifter Arcangeline Fouodji Sonkbou
    Boxer Arsene Fokou
    Boxer Christelle Ndiang
    Boxer Christian Ndzie Tchoyi
    Weight lifter Olivier Hercales Matam Matam
    Weight lifter Petit David Minkoumba
    Boxer Simplice Fotsala
    Boxer Ulrich Yombo

"Most of them departed in the night when everyone was sleeping. Nobody knows the direction they have gone," Cameroon team spokesman Simon Lyonga told CNN .