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The first asylum seeker of the Games is a middle distance runner from Africa (26 July 2012)

Date: 26/07/2012
Duncan Lewis, Legal News Solicitors, The first asylum seeker of the Games is a middle distance runner from Africa

The Mail has claimed that it has information that an Olympic competitor believed to be in his mid 20s from Africa had claimed asylum in Britain after he walked into a police station in Leeds and sought asylum.

The man is being held by the UK Border Agency since last night. The claim from the athlete has also come at a hugely sensitive time for the government as the Games are just two days away from start.

The immigration officials had warned that they feared up to 2 percent of athletes, team officials and supporters may claim refuge in the UK during and after the Games or try to stay on once their visas expired.

But the claim even before competition has begun is said to have shocked both Border Agency officials and ministers as they prepare to host some 120 world leaders tomorrow, when London 2012 is opened by the Queen.
It is understood the athlete left from his pre-Olympics training camp in order to claim asylum, just before he and his team were preparing to move to the athletes’ village in Stratford, East London.
The sportsman, whose identity was not revealed by the authorities, claimed he was a victim of persecution in his homeland and is due to be questioned this week.
Details of the claim emerged yesterday in the Olympic Village where one East African team official said he believed a second man, an Olympic official, was also preparing to seek asylum.
A spokesman for West Yorkshire Police said a man who was ‘believed to be an Olympic athlete’ walked into Bridewell police station in Leeds on Tuesday.
She said he was believed to be ‘seeking asylum’ and added that the man was detained but not arrested. He was handed over to the UK Border Agency who were now dealing with it.
The immigration officials Immigration officials were checking the man’s travel papers and Olympic accreditation documents as well as his movements since arriving in Britain.
They were trying to establish whether he has relatives already living in this country.
Sources said that it was highly unlikely he would be taking part in the Olympics after turning his back on his homeland.
While officials were expecting asylum claims, what has surprised officials was that the application was made even before the athlete had competed, most claims at previous Olympics and Commonwealth Games have been made post competition.

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