Commonwealth athletes return
Thursday, April 19, 2018
Some of the Team Rwanda contingent before they left for the Commonwealth games. (Courtesy)

Medal-less Team Rwanda returned home Thursday from the Commonwealth Games that have been taking place in Australia.

The team led by the National Olympic President Valens Munyabagisha, landed at Kigali International Airport on Thursday at 6:00 am.

However, the team returned without powerlifting coach Jean-Paul Nsengiyumva and beach volleyball player Denise Mutatsimpundu who vanished from the camp a few days ago.

RNOSC communication officer Fidele Kajugiro Sebalinda explained that Mutatsimpundu varnished when the contingent was preparing to depart Australia, while Nsengiyumva went AWOL from the camp during the games when he excused himself to go to the toilet but never came back.

 "We searched around to try and find her so that she can return back home but she was nowhere to be seen.”

"For Nsengiyumva the matter was handled by the Australian police and the administration of GOLDOC” Rwanda’s Chef de Mission Eugene Nzabanterura

Rwanda was represented by a team of 17 athletes in cycling, athletics, beach volleyball and Para-Powerlifting.

Rwanda joined the Commonwealth club in 2009 and debuted at the Commonwealth Games in 2010 in New Delhi, India and competed again at the 2014 edition that was hosted in Glasgow, Scotland, however, the country is yet to win any medal.