Eight footballers still 'missing' in UK

By Tichaona Sibanda
26 September 2005

The British Home Office in London has said 'steps are being taken to identify, locate and remove' any of the eight football players who vanished after coming to the UK for a friendly match. It's now been confirmed that six players from champions Caps United did not make the trip back to Harare, while two players from Highlanders Dalisizwe Dlamini and Luckson Mutanga disappeared after checking in at Heathrow airport. None of the Caps United players made it to Heathrow last week Tuesday, the day the rest of the squad caught a British Airways flight to Harare. Of the six players, defender David Sengu made his own plans to travel to the UK. He is reported to have told friends he will travel back home at his own time. The other five who vanished and are believed to have gone underground are winger Artwell Mabhiza, Silent Katumba, Raymond Undi, Elton Chimedza and Tichaona Nyenda.

The players were in the UK last week for a friendly match that pitted the reigning champions Caps and former champions, Highlanders at the Odsal rugby league stadium in Bradford. Reports suggest the players have decided to cut short their soccer careers and join a growing band of disillusioned Zimbabweans who fled the country to pursue a new life in the UK.