French Prosecutors Launch Probe after 2 Congolese Paralympic Athletes Go Missing

Employees are at work to dismantle the Olympic venue of Pont Alexandre III near the Grand Palais in Paris, on September 11, 2024. (Photo by Ludovic MARIN / AFP)
Employees are at work to dismantle the Olympic venue of Pont Alexandre III near the Grand Palais in Paris, on September 11, 2024. (Photo by Ludovic MARIN / AFP)
TT

French Prosecutors Launch Probe after 2 Congolese Paralympic Athletes Go Missing

Employees are at work to dismantle the Olympic venue of Pont Alexandre III near the Grand Palais in Paris, on September 11, 2024. (Photo by Ludovic MARIN / AFP)
Employees are at work to dismantle the Olympic venue of Pont Alexandre III near the Grand Palais in Paris, on September 11, 2024. (Photo by Ludovic MARIN / AFP)

French judicial authorities are investigating the disappearance of two Paralympic athletes from Congo who recently competed in the Paris Games, the prosecutor’s office in the Paris suburb of Bobigny confirmed on Thursday.
According to The Associated Press, prosecutors opened the investigation on Sept. 7, after members of the athletes' delegation warned authorities of their disappearance two days before.
Le Parisien newspaper reported that shot putter Mireille Nganga and Emmanuel Grace Mouambako, a visually impaired sprinter who was accompanied by a guide, went missing on Sept. 5, along with a third person.
The athletes' suitcases were also gone but their passports remained with the Congolese delegation, according to an official with knowledge of the investigation, who asked to remain anonymous as they were not allowed to speak publicly about the case.
The Paralympic Committee of the Democratic Republic of Congo did not respond to requests for information from AP.
Nganga — who recorded no mark in the seated javelin and shot put competitions — and Mouambako were Congo’s flag bearers at the opening ceremony of the Paralympic Games, organizers said.



Bundesliga Sees Quickfire Scoring Record as Bayern Puts Dive Past Dismal Leipzig

Bayern Munich's German midfielder #42 Jamal Musiala, Bayern Munich's German forward #10 Leroy Sane and Bayern Munich's Canadian defender #19 Alphonso Davies celebrate a goal during the German first division Bundesliga football match between FC Bayern Munich and RB Leipzig in Munich, southern Germany, on December 20, 2024. (Photo by Alexandra BEIER / AFP)
Bayern Munich's German midfielder #42 Jamal Musiala, Bayern Munich's German forward #10 Leroy Sane and Bayern Munich's Canadian defender #19 Alphonso Davies celebrate a goal during the German first division Bundesliga football match between FC Bayern Munich and RB Leipzig in Munich, southern Germany, on December 20, 2024. (Photo by Alexandra BEIER / AFP)
TT

Bundesliga Sees Quickfire Scoring Record as Bayern Puts Dive Past Dismal Leipzig

Bayern Munich's German midfielder #42 Jamal Musiala, Bayern Munich's German forward #10 Leroy Sane and Bayern Munich's Canadian defender #19 Alphonso Davies celebrate a goal during the German first division Bundesliga football match between FC Bayern Munich and RB Leipzig in Munich, southern Germany, on December 20, 2024. (Photo by Alexandra BEIER / AFP)
Bayern Munich's German midfielder #42 Jamal Musiala, Bayern Munich's German forward #10 Leroy Sane and Bayern Munich's Canadian defender #19 Alphonso Davies celebrate a goal during the German first division Bundesliga football match between FC Bayern Munich and RB Leipzig in Munich, southern Germany, on December 20, 2024. (Photo by Alexandra BEIER / AFP)

Bayern Munich crushed Leipzig 5-1 and they broke a long-standing Bundesliga record for quickfire goals on Friday.
Two teams had never scored in the opening two minutes of a Bundesliga match until Jamal Musiala gave Bayern the lead after 28 seconds and Benjamin Šeško equalized barely 60 seconds later, The Associated Press reported.
The pace slowed after that frenetic start but not for long. Konrad Laimer put Bayern ahead against his old club in the 25th. Michael Olise found space on the right side and Laimer gave Péter Gulácsi no chance with a crisp volley.
Nine minutes later, Joshua Kimmich lashed home from almost 30 meters to make it 3-1.
Leroy Sané added the fourth with 15 minutes remaining and Alphonso Davies got his first league goal of the season to complete the rout three minutes later.
Harry Kane returned and looked rusty after missing two games with a hamstring injury but played 87 minutes of a match that helped Bayern get back on track after a rocky run.
After winning eight games in a row from late October to late November, the Bavarian giant lost two and drew one of its next five, including a 2-1 defeat to Mainz last week, its first loss in the Bundesliga.
Friday’s result bumped its lead over titleholder Bayer Leverkusen to seven points. Leverkusen plays Freiburg on Saturday.