Seven Eritrean football players from the national squad, following their historic victory against Eswatini, have failed to return home, a source close to the team disclosed to BBC Africa. While other members of the squad flew back from South Africa, the seven players are reported to have gone missing. This incident follows a trend of Eritrean athletes not returning home after international competitions, a pattern that has drawn criticism against the government in Asmara, which has been described by rights groups as highly repressive.
The Eritrean football team had been celebrating their qualification for the Africa Cup of Nations for the first time in 19 years after securing a 2-1 win in Eswatini and a 4-1 victory on aggregate. Only 10 of the 24-man squad were based in Eritrea, with just three, including captain Ablelom Teklezghi, returning. Reports suggest the missing players have been seen in South Africa, including goalkeeper Kubrom Solomon and winger Medhanie Redie.
Eritrea’s state-owned media has been unusually silent about the victorious team’s return, a situation that is uncharacteristic and suggests a reaction to the players’disappearance. A planned reception for the team in Egypt, organized by the Eritrean embassy and community members, was cancelled after the news of the players’absence. The spokesperson of Eritrea’s Sport and Culture Commission, who had been providing updates on social media, shared pictures of returning players in Egypt but did not include any of the missing players.
The latest incident echoes past occurrences where Eritrean football players have disappeared following international matches. In 2019, seven players from the under-20 side went missing after a regional championship in Uganda. In 2015, 10 senior squad players refused to return home after a World Cup qualifying match in Botswana.
Two years prior, 15 players and the team doctor were granted asylum in Uganda after absconding. And in 2009, the entire senior team, except for the coach and an official, failed to return from Kenya.
Source: BBC Africa
