Society

Missing Ugandan athlete left note saying he wants to work in Japan

Jul 17 (Japan Times) - OSAKA – A Ugandan athlete who is missing from his pre-Olympic training camp in Osaka Prefecture left a note saying he hoped to work in Japan because life is difficult in his home country, a local official said Friday.

According to the official, the message from Julius Ssekitoleko, a 20-year-old weightlifter, was found at his accommodation in Izumisano, Osaka Prefecture.

Police are now conducting a search for the athlete, local officials and the team said Friday.

Ssekitoleko was not at his accommodations when an official attempted to receive his sample for a coronavirus test at around noon Friday, about 12 hours since he was last seen, the city said.

All delegation members must submit their samples for COVID-19 testing in the morning, but the official did not receive Ssekitoleko’s sample by noon, according to the city.

He was last seen at his accommodations at around 12:30 a.m. by a teammate, according to Izumisano officials.

The nine-member Ugandan delegation arrived at Narita Airport near Tokyo on June 19 as one of the first teams to come to Japan for the games, but two members have tested positive for the coronavirus.

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