Tokyo
An athlete from the Ugandan Olympic team went missing from his hotel in the city of Izumisano in Osaka prefecture and local police are currently trying to establish his whereabouts, the city authorities said on Friday.
Earlier in the day, Japanese news agency Kyodo reported that Julius Ssekitoleko, did not submit his obligatory COVID-19 test and could not be located in the Ugandan Olympic village by the city’s officials.
“Currently, all possible efforts are being made to find the missing person,” the mayor’s office said in a statement.
The 20 yearbold weightlifter was last seen at the hotel by other members of the Ugandan Olympic team a little after midnight from Thursday to Friday.
At noon, all athletes were required to undergo daily PCR testing, but Ssekitoleko did not show up.
An employee of the city administration, who arrived at the hotel to check on the athlete, could not find him and reported the case to the city police.
The Ugandan delegation was one of the first to arrive in Japan ahead of the upcoming Olympics, scheduled from July 23 to August 8. So far, two members of the team have tested positive for COVID-19.
The Tokyo Olympic Games will gather an estimated 19,000 athletes and 41,000 accompanying persons.
To ensure safety, the government has imposed a number of restrictions, including banning spectators from the majority of the events.—Agencies
