Here’s a pretty crazy story out of Japan as we near the start of the summer Olympics – a Ugandan weightlifter, who was due to be sent back home in a few days after failing to qualify, has gone missing in Tokyo.

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Has he been kidnapped? Murdered? Abducted by aliens? Nope – 20-year-old Julius Ssekitoleko simply does not want to go back to Uganda and is instead looking for a fresh start. He left behind a note saying he wanted to stay in Japan because life back home was too difficult.

According to CNN, Julius was last seen at a train station near his delegation’s hotel in Izumisano at 6:30 a.m. on Friday. He purchased a Shinkansen bullet train ticket to Nagoya, about 200 kilometers away.

In the note, Julius asked his teammates to send his belongings back to his wife, who is probably less than thrilled about the whole thing.

Local police have been looking for him, but at time of publishing, had not found him. Which is pretty surprising because you’d think a massive Ugandan weightlifter would stand out like a sore thumb in most parts of Japan.

This all comes with the Olympics already under fire for continuing the games as COVID-19 numbers spike across Tokyo. So you now have this Ugandan weightlifter who has left his bubble and gone off on a jolly around Japan, so that’s great.

Apparently a Ugandan rep was able to reach Julius by phone on the weekend, but wasn’t able to obtain any new information. Good to know that he’s safe and sound though. I would just love it if he were able to obtain asylum in Japan and we got an update on what he ended up doing there. Can’t say I blame the guy for not wanting to go back to Uganda since he says life was so difficult for him back there. No way life in Japan could be worse for him, right? Let’s hope it works out either way. Do your thing, Julius!

To watch a Ugandan runner nearly decapitate himself by running face-first into a hurdle, click HERE.