Investigation launched into disappearance of Rwandan Paralympian missing for more than a week

French prosecutors are investigating the disappearance of a Rwandan Paralympian, who was reported missing more than a week after she vanished. The Nanterre prosecutor's office confirmed the investigation on Thursday, where the delegation is based.

The prosecutor's office stated that the athlete went missing on August 20th, but was not reported missing until Tuesday. The Rwandan Olympic Committee has not responded to requests for comment. According to a police source cited by AFP, the sitting volleyball player left the team's accommodation in Courbevoie, northwest of Paris, around 7 pm to go to a restaurant, but never returned.

The Rwandan Olympic Committee president reportedly reported her disappearance around 1 pm on Tuesday, the source added, noting that the disabled athlete did not participate in the opening ceremony and the Rwandan ambassador has been informed. The Nanterre court prosecutor’s office "has assigned the investigation to the BRDP," a specialized police unit, prosecutors said in a statement.

This is not the first time athletes have gone missing at major sporting events such as the Paralympics. In 2018, at least 20 athletes went missing at the Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast, many of whom later applied for refugee status. In 2012, seven athletes disappeared from the Olympic Village in London.

Additionally, there have been cases of athletes and officials overstaying their visas or seeking asylum during the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne and the 2000 Sydney Olympics. These incidents demonstrate that the disappearance of athletes at major events is not uncommon.