Rabat – British athletics coach and former international sprinter Leon Baptiste has been missing for about two months after traveling to Morocco, according to The Guardian.
Baptiste is a coach for several elite British athletes, including Paris Olympic 4×400-meter relay bronze medalist Charlie Dobson. The 41-year-old is believed to have traveled to Morocco with close friends for a weekend trip involving a stag party or golf.
However, Baptiste has not been heard from since the trip. Messages sent to his phone have gone unanswered, while athletes he coaches and officials at UK Athletics (UKA) have been unable to contact him.
The report added that UKA has declined to comment on the case, citing confidentiality.
A former British teammate of Baptiste told The Guardian that the situation was “very worrying,” describing him as a calm and sensible person.
Baptiste’s absence has also affected the athletes he coaches. Dobson has struggled with injuries and recently competed at the European Athletics Championships in Birmingham. He finished fourth in his 400-meter semi-final in 45.18 seconds, more than one second outside his personal best of 44.14 seconds.
After the race, Dobson referred to the past eight weeks as “interesting,” without providing further details about Baptiste’s disappearance.
UKA staff have stepped in to support Dobson and other athletes from Baptiste’s training group. Former European 400-meter champion Martyn Rooney has also been helping coach Dobson.
Before moving into coaching, Baptiste had a successful career as a sprinter. He won two gold medals at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi, taking the 200-meter title and helping England win the 4×100-meter relay.
A serious knee problem later forced him to retire from competition at the age of 28. He underwent surgery and missed the 2012 London Olympics before eventually moving into coaching.
Baptiste later became a coach and worked with athletes through a consultancy role based in Loughborough.
The circumstances surrounding his disappearance remain unclear. No further details about his whereabouts or what happened after his arrival in Morocco have been made public.
