NAIROBI, Kenya, Apr 16- Boxing Association of Kenya officials are still holding on to the passport of Kenyan boxer Brian Agina who has been reported missing after the Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia.
Speaking to Capital Sport from Gold Coast, Boxing Association of Kenya chairman John Kameta said it was realized that the 18-year old was missing from the athletes’ village just before the team’s departure for Nairobi on Monday morning.
“The team was leaving in the morning and while doing the roll call, he was nowhere to be found. We tried searching for him in the vicinity but he couldn’t be found. He just took with him a small bag because most of his luggage was still there,” Kameta said.
He added; “We have reported the matter to local police and the Kenyan embassy but the police say even if they find him, he can’t be arrested because he still has a valid visa. All athletes coming for the games signed up for three month visas and so he is still legally in Australia.”
Kameta who leaves Gold Coast for Nairobi on Wednesday evening say they are still in possession of Agina’s passport, as is their procedure.
“Apart from boxers from Prisons, Police or the Defense Forces, we usually take passports of the other boxers to prevent something of this sort happening. If by Wednesday when I leave he will not have been found, I will just deposit the passport with the embassy. I doubt anything bad has happened to him. Probably this was a pre-meditated thing,” the BAK boss further said.
Agina was making his debut in the games and lost 4-1 to Pakistan’s Syed Muhammad Asif in the super fly-weight (52kg) category at the round of 16 stage last Monday.
There have been cases reported of African athletes missing with Cameroon reporting that up to 13 of their athletes had gone missing from the Commonwealth Games.