Thursday, April 27 2006 13:54 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Sydney: Thirty-one Commonwealth Games athletes and officials have sought asylum in Australia while 24 others remain illegally in the country, the immigration department said.

The figures were released after the expiry at midnight Wednesday of the visas granted to almost 7,000 participants in the Games, which were held in Melbourne from March 15-26.

Immigration Minister Amanda Vanstone urged the 24 people who have gone missing to contact her department immediately or face action to enforce their visas.

The 31 who have sought asylum include members of teams from the African countries of Cameroon, Ghana, Nigeria and Sierra Leone as well as the south Asian nation of Bangladesh, an immigration department spokesman said.

Fourteen of them are athletes from Sierra Leone who disappeared from the Games village during competition but later handed themselves over to immigration officials.

The group, who said they risked persecution if returned to their impoverished west African country, have been granted bridging visas to pursue their claims.

Others to flee the Games village during the competition included nine athletes from Cameroon, a Tanzanian boxer and a Bangladeshi runner.