14th September, 2013
Cameroon boxers who vanished during London 2012 Olympic Games have been found living in Salvation Army homeless shelter in Sunderland.
The pair, Thomas Essomba, 25, and Blaise Yepmou Mendouo, 28, disappeared from the Olympic Village during last year’s Games and are now training for the UK Championships.
Mirror of London reports that two boxers from Cameroon, who vanished from the Olympic Village last year, were secretly relocated by the Home Office.
Essomba and Mendouo plus five other athletes disappeared amid claims they had been threatened if they lost.
Officials from Cameroon said they had economic reasons for vanishing.
But the Home Office confirmed it had granted the two boxers asylum and sent them to Sunderland.
They are living at a Salvation Army homeless shelter and training for free at a local gym.
Mr Mendouo said: “Where I live it’s not very good for me but I don’t have a choice.
“Sometimes I think about my mum but it’s too hard. Anyway, I’m happy to be here.”
Mr Essomba said he was “eternally grateful” to be back in the ring.
Phil Jeffries, dad of 2008 Olympic bronze medallist Tony, is mentoring the pair in a bid to make them amateur champions.
He said: “They walked into the gym, explained who they were and they’ve been model boxers since. The kids look up to them.”
The Home Office did not comment on the other five athletes.