Two Paralympians representing the Republic of Congo at this year’s Paris Games have disappeared following their competitions.
Shot putter Mireille Nganga and blind sprinter Emmanuel Grace Mouambako were last seen at the athletes village in Saint-Denis on Sept. 5 but only reported missing two days later by a member of the Congolese delegation.
French officials at the Bobigny prosecutor’s office opened up an investigation into the disappearance Nganga, Mouambako and Mouambako’s sighted guide Sharon Victor Loussanga on Sept. 7, according to French newspaper Le Monde.
Nganga, who has a leg impairment, and Mouambako, who is visually impaired, were the only two athletes selected to represent Congo in Paris.
Nganga was her country’s flag bearer for the opening ceremonies on Aug. 31, entering Stade de France with the Republic of Congo’s flag strapped to her wheelchair.
On Sept. 4, the three athletes returned to the stadium for their respective competitions.
Nganga competed in the seated shotput and javelin events but recorded no mark.
Mouambako placed fourth in his first round fourth heat Men’s 100m T11, failing to qualify for the next round.
The three were not present at the closing ceremonies at Stade de France on Sept. 8.
Suitcases belonging to the three athletes were also missing from the athletes village but their passports remained with members of the country’s Paralympics delegation, the Associated Press reported citing an official.
Investigators have not ruled out the possibility of a voluntary disappearance or defection, but are also looking into “potential disturbing elements of the case,” the outlet reported.
Rwanda Paralympics volleyball player Claudine Bazubagira went missing days before the opening ceremony after going out to dinner in the western Paris suburb of Courbevoie and not returning, missing the entire competition.
On Sept. 4, the vice president of the Eritrean Olympic Committee was reported missing after leaving the athlete’s village the previous day.
Cuban judoka Dayle Ojeda, who had traveled to Paris to help train athletes for their year’s Olympics disappeared before the July 26 opening ceremonies, only to reappear weeks later in Spain where she took refuge.
“I feel good, now more at ease and confident, looking forward to starting a new life,” she told CiberCuba.com with dreams of now competing for Spain at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
With Post wires