Police concerned about missing Games athletes

MELBOURNE, Mar 22 (Reuters) Two athletes, a boxer from Tanzania and a Bangladeshi runner, have gone missing from the Commonwealth Games village in Melbourne, police said today. parking fears about possible defections, boxer Omari Idd Kimweri and 400 metres runner Mohammad Tawdihul Islam have both been missing since Monday.

Both had completed their events, officials said.

''Police are concerned about the welfare of the two missing athletes,'' a police spokeswoman said.

''It's been reported that they are missing.'' The spokeswoman said police were not conducting searches but urged anyone with information about the athletes to contact them.

Australia's Immigration Department said the missing athletes were not yet a concern because they both still had valid visas to be in the country for another month.

Kimweri, a married civil servant, was beaten in the 48 kg lyweight boxing on Saturday.

Tanzanian team officials told The Age newspaper that they did not know if Kimweri's disappearance could be an attempt to defect.

Islam failed to advance from the 400m heats on Monday.

Five Bangladeshis went missing while at the Commonwealth Games in Manchester four years ago, sparking a crackdown on athletes competing in overseas events.

REUTERS PM RN1238