Since the end of the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics, several foreign spectators have now filed refugee claims. Citizenship and Immigration Canada officials said that the seven foreign nationals, whom they can’t identify because of privacy laws, stayed behind after the Olympics ended.

More than 5,500 athletes and officials were accredited for the Vancouver Games and officials expect more of them to surface as claimants during the coming weeks. Typically, claims surface as athletes and officials begin to return home and as the temporary resident status of spectators begin to expire.

Officials said some of the claimants entered Canada from the U.S. by posing as spectators or family members of those participating in the Olympics. Refugee claimants are not rare for international sporting tournaments.

It can take a year or more for refugee cases to be determined by the Immigration and Refugee Board. While waiting for their cases to be decided, applicants are entitled to work and receive health care.

Mr. Jason Kenny, the Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism, says that the seven people who have claimed refugee status after coming to watch the Olympics are from Hungary, Russia and Japan. He also stated that it is “ridiculous” someone from Japan could make that claim and says its a sign the system has broken down.