A perfect 10? Sir Lankan athletes continue to vanish at the close of the Commonwealth Games

Last Wednesday a Sri Lankan judo coach, a wrestler, and a judoka team member vanished from the athletes village after their competitions earlier that week.

Judoka Chamila Dilani, her manager Asela de Silva, and wrestler Shanith Chathuranga were located by British police, but as they held valid visas and had not violated any local laws, no action was taken.

“In fact, the police got us to return the passports that we were holding as a deterrent against defections,” the official said.

“The police have not told us about their whereabouts.”

Now comes the news that seven more members of the Sri Lankan team have done the same. Vanished.

“We suspect they want to remain in the U.K., possibly to get employment.”

As the Commonwealth visas are valid for a six month period, staying in England is an attractive alternative of in lieu of returning to a country experiencing unrest.

Anti-government demonstrations on the southeast Asian island nation have been ongoing since April. Many have called for the resignation of president Ranil Wickremesighe in response to the country’s rationing of food, fuel and basic medicines.

Protesters have called for another march in the capital of Colombo set for August 9.

Unfortunately Sri Lankan athletes have been gone missing from international tournaments in the past.

In October of last year, the head coach of the wrestling team suddenly disappeared during the World Championships in Oslo.

During the Asian Games in 2014, two Sri Lankan athletes walked away and were not heard from in South Korea.

In 2004, a 23-member group pretending to represent the national handball team duped German officials and disappeared.