Updated

Sudan's embassy in London says a young athlete has claimed political asylum in Britain and two others are missing — but none of them are part of the country's Olympic squad.

Spokesman Khalid Mustafa said Monday that men had hoped to qualify for the Olympics but didn't make the grade.

Mustafa said Al-Nazeer Abdul Gadir has applied for asylum, while Sadam Hussein and Osman Yahya Omar are missing and expected to soon lodge their own claims.

All three had been part of a training squad granted visas to travel to Britain ahead of the Summer Games.

Mustafa said the embassy had received conflicting initial reports about whether the athletes were members of the country's OIympic team.