Three Niger athletes and coach are missing

GARDAÍ are searching for three Special Olympics athletes and a coach, all from Niger, who went missing the morning before the closing ceremony.

Gardaí are also investigating a Sudanese coach and a Pakistani coach who did not catch their scheduled flights home with their delegations yesterday.

The four men from Niger left Bewley’s Hotel, Ballsbridge, at 8am on Sunday to go shopping in the centre of Dublin. They were later spotted on O’Connell Street, but have not been seen since, although their luggage was left at the hotel.

Yesterday, the men failed to show up at Dublin Airport for their flight home and the other members of their team had to leave without them.

The four missing West African men have been named as Sekouba Abdoulaye, 37, Elassane Mamoudou, 28, Boikol Issaballo Ousmane, 25, and Hamagou Yalouba, 21.

Their native language is French, and they speak very little English.

A garda spokesman said their disappearance was cause for concern as all three athletes had learning disabilities.

Special Olympics organising committee spokesman Julian Davis said the situation was not unusual.

“At various Games it never works out that everybody leaves when they’re supposed to. This sort of thing is not uncommon, but it’s usually resolved within a few days.”

He said security measures were in place at the Games, but the delegations were able to spend their free time as they wished.

Officials were not concerned when the men did not attend the closing ceremony on Sunday evening, because they were due to leave early the next morning.

The Niger delegation did not arrive in time to take part in the host town programme in Arva, Co Cavan because of visa difficulties.

Anyone with information about the missing men should contact Donnybrook garda station at 01-6669200.