| Commonwealth Games -- Games spirit shines through |
|
|
|
|
Police catch runaway athletes Eight other Sierra Leone squad members are still unaccounted for, and Cameroon report nine of their athletes missing. They were all hoping to stay in Australia after the Games finished but will now have their visas revoked. The three men and three women from Sierra Leone will be detained until immigration authorities collect them. Immigration officials said they would be happy to talk to the missing athletes if they came forward. Over half of Sierra Leone's 22-strong squad have disappeared, following the 21 who went missing in Manchester four years ago. Eleven athletes were reported missing to police between last Tuesday and Friday, while another three had disappeared from the athletes village in Melbourne by Sunday. A statement from Games organisers confirmed: "At the request of the management of the Sierra Leone team, the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games Corporation has withdrawn accreditation from 14 athletes officially described as missing by Victoria police." An immigration spokesman added: "We strongly urge the athletes, or anyone who knows their whereabouts, to contact local police or their nearest department of immigration office." Australian Prime Minister John Howard has already warned that the country does not give "blanket asylum" to athletes who go missing from sporting teams visiting the country. Australia has some of the toughest policies in the world against illegal immigration. A Tanzanian boxer and a Bangladeshi runner have also gone missing. Source -- BBC News -- http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/commonwealth_games/4846908.stm March 24th 2006 'Missing athletes' handed warning Australian Prime Minister John Howard said each case would be handled individually if anybody sought asylum. "We don't give blanket asylum to people who leave sporting teams in this country," Howard told Australian radio. "I don't want any other athletes who might be thinking along those lines to imagine all they have to do is stay behind and we will keep you," Howard added. Officially, they have not breached any immigration rules because they have been issued with special visas for the Games, valid for another month. Most of the missing Sierra Leoneans are members of the athletics team, while another is a weightlifter. Together, they make up about a third of their country's Commonwealth Games contingent. Sierra Leone team officials would not identify the missing athletes but said their disappearance had "dampened the team spirit". "Obviously there is a feeling that it is not the nicest thing to do to the host country and your team-mates to walk out," said Sierra Leone team spokesman Robert Green. Special visas DISAPPEARING ATHLETES They have joined what has become a growing list of unaccounted-for athletes. Earlier this week a boxer from Tanzania and a 400m runner from Bangladesh went missing, sparking fears they would try to remain in Australia illegally. Australia's Immigration Department said the athletes' special Games visas expire on 26 April, and they would not become involved until after that date. In the meantime, the police are treating the case as a missing persons investigation and have urged anyone with information about the missing athletes to contact them. During the last Commonwealth Games in the UK city of Manchester more than 20 athletes from Sierra Leone disappeared. Source: BBC News article: Seven athletes do a runner SEVEN Sierra Leone athletes have vanished from the Commonwealth Games village after missing their events. The athletes, part of a team of 35 competing at the Games, were reported missing by team management about 7pm yesterday. The athletes, both male and female, are aged between 19 and 26. Police at the athletes' village were last night taking missing persons reports. Police spokesman Sgt David Spencer said the athletes had not committed any crime but they were eager to hear from them. "At this stage we don't have any concerns for their welfare," he said. "We were aware they weren't where they were supposed to be in the morning." Sierra Leone chef de mission Mohamed Alpha Kabba refused to take calls last night, referring all inquiries to his press officer. However, the only name that could be provided for the officer was Mr Bah, who had not given his phone number to the Sierra Leone team and had moved out of the village, leaving his key behind. The Immigration Department said last night it was aware of the latest disappearances. But they are not considered to be illegally in Australia until April 26, when their Commonwealth Games visas expire. Seventy per cent of the Sierra Leone team disappeared at the 2002 Manchester Games. Police were already looking for two other athletes before the disappearance of the Sierra Leone competitors. Tanzanian boxer Omari Idd Kimweri has not been seen since 7am on Monday. The 23-year-old flyweight lost a fight on Saturday. Bangladeshi athlete Mohammad Tawhidul Islam, 23, has not been seen since 6.30pm on Monday. The 400m runner ran a heat on Monday and later told teammates he intended to visit the MCG to see the 100m final. Police later found his clothes and possessions in his room. Monday, 15 March 2006 The Sierra Leonean team took part in a spectacular opening ceremony event at the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, Australia earlier today. I will post images of the event as they become available. Here is the list and biography of the Athletes taking part in various events at the games:
Monday, 13 March 2006
The Melbourne municipality of the City of Whitehorse along with local businesses and community members has donated $25,000 worth of elite sporting equipment and uniforms to Sierra Leone athletes for the Games. The Sierra Leone team was presented with their new uniforms and sporting equipment for the Games at a welcome lunch hosted by Mount Scopus College in Burwood, Melbourne. The Melbourne municipality of the City of Whitehorse along with local businesses and community members has donated $25,000 worth of elite sporting equipment and uniforms to Sierra Leone athletes for the Games. The Sierra Leone team was presented with their new uniforms and sporting equipment for the Games at a welcome lunch hosted by Mount Scopus College in Burwood, Melbourne. For the past three months, the City of Whitehorse has led a community campaign following a plea from their “adopted country” Sierra Leone. Whitehorse Mayor, Councillor Sharon Ellis said, “We have been overwhelmed by the generosity of both businesses and residents who have been willing to donate to help the Sierra Leone athletes achieve their dream of competing at the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games.” Councillor Ellis said companies, from both within Whitehorse and outside the municipality, had donated goods including tracksuits, polo shirts, singlets, windcheaters, caps, sports bags, athletic shoes, bicycle helmets, boxing gloves, head guards and spikes for athletic shoes. Councillor Ellis said the Council now had now collected enough clothing and sporting equipment to fitout the entire Sierra Leone team who will compete in boxing, cycling, athletics and weightlifting at the Games. The cycling will be the team’s first event on Thursday. She said Mount Scopus College had taken a special interest in the Sierra Leone team with students studying the country’s culture in the lead up to the Games and the school had offered the team its facilities for training. The team’s Chef de Mission, Mohammed Alpha Kabba, told the Council that the team was extremely grateful for the equipment and uniforms provided by the City of Whitehorse. The municipality will also have a chance to experience the Games spirit as the Queen’s Baton stays overnight in the area on Monday. There will be an event to mark the occasion at which the Sierra Leone team will be guests of honour, wearing their new uniform. There are over 147,000 residents in the municipality with the area being known for its tree-lined streets and abundance of bushland reserves. The City of Whitehorse is also organising a host of exciting community events such as African music, dance and culture displays which promote and foster an understanding of life in Sierra Leone. For more information about the City of Whitehorse events, go to: www.whitehorse.vic.gov.au.
|
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|
