A Ugandan athlete training in western Japan ahead of the start of the Tokyo Olympics next week has gone missing, with local officials and police trying to locate his whereabouts, the city hosting the delegation said Friday.
Julius Ssekitoleko, a 20-year-old athlete, staying in Izumisano, Osaka Prefecture, was not found when a city official tried to locate him to receive his sample for coronavirus testing, it said.
He was last seen at his accommodation at around 12:30 a.m. by a teammate, according to city officials.
The development may fuel concerns over the anti-virus measures in place by the Olympic organizers, which have said athletes will only be allowed to go to limited locations and will not come into contact with locals.
The Ugandan delegation arrived at Narita airport near Tokyo on June 19 as one of the first teams to come to the host nation for the games, but two members have so far tested positive for the coronavirus.
All members are required to submit their samples for COVID testing in the morning, but the official did not receive Ssekitoleko’s sample by noon, according to the city.
Following the two COVID cases on the team, Ugandan athletes only started training in the western Japan city last week after they had refrained from doing so.