Missing athlete at Houston soccer tournament found in Chicago
Chron • • sports
Key Points:
- Rabe’e Ata Juma’a Alqaq, a 24-year-old Jordanian athlete declared missing by Rice University Police, was found safely in Bridgeview, Illinois, after traveling there by bus on his own.
- Alqaq was last seen on Rice's campus around midnight Sunday, after which he did not return to his team's living quarters and missed breakfast Monday morning, prompting the missing person report.
- Rice Police confirmed no foul play was suspected and that Alqaq contacted them after seeing news reports about his missing status; authorities are coordinating with Illinois officials and the Jordan Consulate to arrange his return to Houston.
- Alqaq had traveled to Houston to participate in the Genuine Cup, a soccer tournament for athletes with intellectual and developmental disabilities, which began Monday at Rice University and features participants from 51 countries.
- The Genuine Cup, now in its third year, has grown significantly since its 2024 inception, promoting visibility and support for neurodiverse athletes worldwide with over 1,000 participants in 2026.
