COLOMBO: A Sri Lankan court issued international travel bans on Friday against nine athletes who disappeared from the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham three years ago, with arrest warrants also being sought through Interpol.

The nine athletes and a team manager vanished from the competition, most without taking part in their events at the Aug 2022 Games, and have never returned.

A magistrate in Colombo imposed an international travel ban on the group, which amounts to an arrest warrant should they try to re-enter the island.

The court was also told that police had sought red wanted notices from Interpol, a request for police worldwide to arrest a suspect.

A complaint against the group was filed by a police unit that handles sports corruption under a 2019 law that allows offenders to be jailed for up to 10 years and fined 100 million rupees ($333,000).

Police Inspector Supun Vidanage said seven of the athletes vanished without taking part in their events and had caused serious embarrassment to Sri Lanka.

“They travelled at state expense but did not fully participate,” Vidanage said. The first three to disappear were judoka Chamila Dilani, her manager Asela de Silva, and wrestler Shanith Chathuranga.

Published in Dawn, October 18th, 2025