Africa-Press – Botswana. Ten members of the Sri Lankan delegation that participated in the Commonwealth Games, in Great Britain, defected during the competition, which ends today, announced a senior sports official in the country, quoted by the France-Presse agency.
According to the official, who requested anonymity, nine athletes and a coach left the delegation, after having competed in their competitions at the Games, which take place in the English city of Birmingham. Three of the defectors already left the delegation last week and were, however, located by the police, but they were not arrested because they had visas valid for six months.
“Since then, seven more have disappeared. We believe they want to stay in the UK, perhaps to find work,” he said. The head of Sri Lanka’s mission to the Commonwealth Games anticipated a possible scenario of defections, keeping the passports of its 160 members, to try to ensure that everyone would return to the country.
Sri Lanka is currently facing the worst economic crisis in its history, deep in debt and unable to import essential goods such as medicines, fuel, food and gas.
In response, the island nation last week resumed negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to receive a loan to address the crisis.
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