London Olympics: Cameroon athletes 'abscond'

Seven Cameroonian athletes have absconded while in Britain for the Olympics, officials say.

The seven, including five boxers, are suspected of having decided to stay in Europe for economic reasons, Reuters news agency reports.

A reserve goalkeeper for the women's soccer team, Drusille Ngako, was the first to disappear, the agency quoted Cameroon's Olympic mission as saying.

In June, an Ethiopian torchbearer, Natnael Yemane, 15, also disappeared.

He went missing from a hotel in Nottingham.

"What began as rumour has finally turned out to be true," Team Cameroon mission head David Ojong said, in a letter sent to the Cameroonian sports ministry.

"Seven Cameroonian athletes who participated at the 2012 London Olympic Games have disappeared from the Olympic Village."

Ngako was the first to disappear while her teammates left for Coventry for their last preparatory encounter against New Zealand, he said.

Her disappearance was followed by that of swimmer Paul Ekane Edingue and five boxers eliminated from the games.

Thomas Essomba, Christian Donfack Adjoufack, Abdon Mewoli, Blaise Yepmou Mendouo and Serge Ambomo, disappeared on Sunday from the Olympic village, Mr Ojong said.