By Akol Madut Ngong
The National Ministry of Youth and Sports with support from other partners nominated five people that will present South Sudan in the forthcoming 2022 Chess Olympic Tournament in July at Chennai, India.
Speaking to media after the selection of the participant, the Minister of youth and Sports Dr. Albino Dhiew said it is an honour for the five that have been in the competition since April.
The Chess Federation has managed to filter players from all States of South Sudan and have picked the best players who will represent the new nation in Chennai competition. He called on youths to participate in sports as it is a universal factor.
“My message to all the young people across the nation is that sports is one of the things that can unite us and bring unity to our country, and chess is the only sport competition that got a goal model to our country in 2018 from George, our players has managed to bring a goal model,” he said.
“What can make us proud for the next coming tournament is my wish to all of you as our president is always encouraging us to practice sports, and chess is what can unite all of us. Now you can see the players, they came from different states gathered here as players for chess to represent and fight for the flag of South Sudan” the sports Minister added.
Meanwhile, the president of South Sudan Chess Federation Eng. Aduot Madit commended the support from national organisations and other companies especially EZRA Group, Fairmont Internationally and Dallafin plus other individual who contributed toward the game.
“It is a high time to support Chess and sports because we managed to bring the goal model and we continue with these sports then at least the narratives of this country will change. We are looking forward to make sure that chess reach to grassroots’ level to develop the genes’ this moment, we don’t have a genes chess player but middle age chess players and elderly we have them,” Madit stressed.
He meanwhile, encourage people to take kids for training, saying it is an opportunity to play chess.
The Chief of the South Sudan Chess Olympic 2022 qualifiers tournament Jada Albert said they has been trying to keep inclusivity in chess, but ladies are still doing training. He said that ladies started training a little late but soon they will be having strong ladies in the country team.
Mr. Jada stated that some players have no travel document, and that is one of the challenges they face.
He called on who don’t have travel documents to hurry up with as registration date looms.
On the other hand, the representative of chess players and the member of the South Sudan team to Chennai in India Mr. Deng Cyer Rehan said that other people have taken wrong concept about chess, stating that playing Chess is a wasting of time, and people sit for a long time.
He appealed to the chess Olympique committee to encourage young people to play chess, saying chess has many factors; he said that it can make brain busy that can increase personal intelligences, it can teach one with tolerance and it can make one to be creative.