Armenian Boxer also Defects

BREAKING NEWS: Last week, Boxingtalk reported that the Ugandan Bombers, the amateur boxing team competing in the World Championships in Chicago, received 24/7 bodyguards and chaperones to make sure that no team members could defect.  The bodyguards were assigned to the Ugandan team after two Egyptian boxers reportedly defected soon after they arrived in the U.S. last week.  The Ugandan government was seemingly nervous because of former IBF jr middleweight champion Kassim Ouma’s defection in 1998.  Now, captain Sharif Bogere and team mate Phillip Adyak have vanished from their boxing camps in Chicago.  The two fighters were last seen Wednesday evening.  Source: New Vision Uganda      

Chronicle of Political Turmoil from this Year’s World Championships:

• Fidel Castro bans Cuban team for fear of defection.
• Iranian amateur boxer and coach who won bronze at the Pan Asian Games are barred from entering U.S. because of complicated diplomatic relations.
• Two Egyptian boxers defect and vanish from national team.
• Ugandan national team guarded with escorts 24/7 to prevent defection.
• Ugandan team captain Sharif Bogere and team mate Phillip Adyak vanish from the national team.  An Armenian boxer also flees in an attempt at defection.