Missing Ugandan athlete spotted on camera at Nagoya Station

Am I allowed to say that he probably stands out from the crowd? It's not everyday that you see a Ugandan weightlifter walking the streets of Japan.

He had a mobile phone but his passport was kept by the Ugandan team...

I never understood that. Why would you give up your passport for someone else to look after.

I remember many years ago the Japanese H.I.S. holiday rep in Saipan got perplexed when I refused to hand my passport over to her. She said: "We will look after it for you until you leave". No thanks, i'm more than capable of doing that myself.

It will be extremely hard to hide, butter surrender, finish the games, then apply for a visa. DO IT THE LEGAL way sir. give it up please for your own safety the the safety of others.

Why doesn't apply for refugee status? I'm just kidding.

The guy just abandon his wife back home and decide to live here? In a country where he doesn't understand a single word and has no money on him. Without his passport, i doubt he can stay hidden for very long. I am surprise how determined he is to stay.

i thought people weren't allowed to gather / hold / collect your passport .. but WTF do i know lol ..

Was talking with someone about this recently. Japan is a really hard place to hide, especially if you are from Uganda. Perhaps he had this setup already, but I can't imagine this ending well for him.

Would be a bit easier if he were Peruvian or Brazilian.

Just imagine him ending up in one of those detention centers if he is not found before his visa (or stamp) expires.

I suppose it's possible for him to find a job, get a work visa sponsored and continue to live and work in Japan. He's not a visa overstayer...yet.

If he had his passport and wasn't all over the news..

Since arriving in Japan, two members of the Ugandan delegation have tested positive for the virus. The first, a man in his 50s, was found to be infected upon arrival at Narita airport near Tokyo.

What has the above got to do with the guy going missing, he didn't leave because two members of the team he travelled with tested positive. This guy specifically left a note that he wants to stay and work. The way the J-media is on overdrive already showing poverty in Uganda and interviewing Ugandans in Aichi pref is and wishing the guy is arrested immediately is as if the nation is under the threat of an armed and dangerous criminal who needs to be apprehended immediately. C'mon this fool will be found soon without breaking a sweat in this summer heat. His name and face is all over the place, nobody will employ him and he will run out of the little cash that he has and giving himself in at a koban.

*Do ANY of our Aussie commenters ‘here’ know?*** - This same Ugandan did the same bit of ‘hide & seek’ back in Sydney in 2018 but there was not media followup to his successful ‘capture & release’ back to Uganda. (Must be exceptional weightlifter if Uganda wanted him as part of their principle lineup again in 2020.). **What’s the ‘whole’ story? (The media is clearly not giving ALL the details.)

Athletes who breach the IOC playbook rules are deported and never allowed back in Japan.

Ssekitoleko, who is in his 20s, and his coach were due to return to Uganda this week after the athlete missed out on a spot for the Olympics, according to city and team officials.

Wait up... we're letting people in for the Olympics who haven't even qualified to compete? Just as well we've got an airtight bubble stopping these people from roaming freely around the country!... oh...

It's like a real-life "Running Man"

The slightly different kind of Olympic movement. lol

"Maybe the color of his skin has something to do with that, no?"

No it does not. His actions determine my judgement of him. First he is stupid. I just told you why, but here is another reason. Does he really think he can just run and hide given the amount of media attention that his actions would bring given his status Olympic athlete?

Second, he is irresponsible. He has wife in Uganda. Clearly he does not care about her. He just left her.

Clearly, the only reason you are taking his side is because he is a foreigner in Japan. For a person like you a foreigner can do no wrong and a Japanese can do right.

Poor wife. Sends him off to the Olympics and he runs away. Leaves her with a broken heart and a lot of shame from her whole country for disgracing them

We don't know anything about them. The wife could have told him not to come home if he failed to qualify, for all we know.

One thing's for sure - it's going to be harder to hide for obvious reasons

Ugandan athlete has tested positive for the virus when he arrived in Japan. The Ugandan athlete could spread the virus to the local Japanese citizens. Already, IOC has failed to keep everyone safe, never understatement the virus or people.

What’s in Nagoya for a Ugandan?

What’s in Nagoya for a Ugandan?

That’s another of those naive questions I ‘like’ so much, OMG. Of course there are other Ugandans, about 150 or so, one of the top largest Ugandan communities in Japan, where he now wants to dive and hide in.

While I disapprove of him violating the rules, I'm also kind of impressed. it can't be easy for a Ugandan weightlifter to evade detection for so long in a country where Ugandan weightlifters don't exactly blend into the crowd.

Gotta give him some respect for that.

He might have planned all of it Before landing in Japan out of one hundred fifty ugandans in nagoya he might know one who provided him haven if copsy tracksy hiss cell number he can b safely United to his wify in uganda

@Hiro The guy just abandon his wife back home and decide to live here? In a country where he doesn't understand a single word and has no money on him. Without his passport, i doubt he can stay hidden for very long. I am surprise how determined he is to stay.* *I am not surprised at all by his will and determination to stay in Japan. In the US we have people that come from all over the world with nothing and yes the government gives them a place to live, provide them with benefits and money to live. This is why people don't mind leaving and giving up on their country for a "so call better Life". When you have nothing they think what do they have to lose besides their life. The mentality of this is world over not just Japan!! Its in Europe, the US etc. not China or NK they will get rid of you on the spot!

I suppose it's possible for him to find a job, get a work visa sponsored and continue to live and work in Japan. He's not a visa overstayer...yet.

Poor wife. Sends him off to the Olympics and he runs away. Leaves her with a broken heart and a lot of shame from her whole country for disgracing them

If he is that determined, I say let the poor guy stay.

If he is that determined, I say let the poor guy stay.

He could be a rapist for all we know.

Go get him NPA! Go get him NPA! Go NPA!

Maybe the color of his skin has something to do with that, no?

 Does he really think he can just run and hide given the amount of media attention that his actions would bring given his status Olympic athlete?

Maybe he's not trying to. Maybe he figures out this is one of the best ways to shine an international media spotlight onto his country's plight. Ever thought of that?