The head of the Tunisian Pétanque Federation, Imad Bouzriba, said that player Mohamed Amin Saidi disappeared two days ago during the mission’s return trip, noting that his absence was discovered at Rome airport before the plane heading to Tunisia took off.
Bouzriba explained that the security authorities at the airport were informed of the incident as soon as they discovered the player’s disappearance.
In a second incident, the head of the weightlifting delegation, Reda Ayachi, announced the disappearance of weightlifter Mohamed Amine Bouhajba at Rome airport, minutes before a flight heading to Brindisi, and from there to the city of Taranto.
The two incidents are the second and third cases of disappearance within the Tunisian mission, after the disappearance of wrestler Shahad Al-Jaljali was previously announced.
Over the past years, Tunisian sports delegations have witnessed similar cases, including weightlifting champion Ghofran Belkheir leaving her country’s delegation at Oslo Airport in Norway, before later announcing her arrival in Germany.
Some Tunisian athletes in individual sports link such cases to seeking better sporting and living opportunities abroad, in light of complaints about weak support and financial incentives. (Sky News Arabia)
