15 Players "Vanish" From Homeless World Cup

It was a fantastic opportunity for the underprivileged to travel to
Europe. But for 15 of those underprivileged, the Homeless World Cup in
Denmark appears to also have been a fantastic opportunity to stay on in
Europe and go underground.

Fifteen players from Africa and Afghanistan who had come to
Copenhagen to take part in the event -- a six-day street soccer
tournament for teams of homeless people from around the world -- have
disappeared, police and organizers reported Monday. Six players failed
to show up for training last Thursday while nine more disappeared after
Saturday's final. The 15 men had entry visas for Denmark which expired
Monday.

 

The runaway athletes -- seven Burundians, four Liberians, three
Cameroonians and one Afghan -- could already be outside Denmark as
their visas allow them to travel within the 15-country Schengen zone,
where border checks have largely been removed. If found, they will be
deported.

"We have never experienced it before," said Kat Byles, spokeswoman
for the organization behind the Homeless World Cup. "We're very
surprised because 15 players is quite a lot."

The tournament, which featured 500 homeless participants from 48
countries, finished Saturday with a 9-3 victory for Scotland over
Poland. Players said participating in the tournament had boosted their
self-confidence.