By William Madouk
President Salva Kiir Mayardit has promised to stand and support the South Sudan’s men basketball in upcoming FIBA World Cup campaign scheduled for August 2023.
President Kiir said this on Saturday during his meeting with Bright Stars team to congratulate them for qualifying for FIBA World Cup.
In a statement, President called all South Sudanese basketball players in other international leagues to join the team and make the country proud.
“President Kiir praised the patriotic decision made by the team to represent South Sudan regardless of forgoing luxuries in Western countries” read the statement on the Presidential Facebook page.
“He [Kiir] promised to stand and support the team in the FIBA World Cup campaign scheduled in August 2023” it added.
From his part, the Senior Presidential Advisor, Gen. Kuol Manyang Juuk also congratulated the Bright stars team for qualifying and making it as the top African team.
General Juuk explained that Sports brings people together and can be the best way of bringing peace back to the country.
Meanwhile, Minister of Youth and Sports, Dr. Albino Bol Dhieu urged government to mobilize South Sudanese players in other international leagues to join the team, adding that camping will start in July before finally going to Japan in August.
Luol Deng, the President of South Sudan Basketball Federation, said the journey for qualification started 3 years ago in Kenya and now South Sudan qualified for FIBA World Cup.
Basketball team have written the precious history of the year 2022 in paper, this comes after the team won a historic game against Tunisia in Monastir in August 2022, triggering World Cup qualification talks.
Their heroic home reception came after the team won against DR Congo and Egypt in their round four FIBA World Cup Qualifiers while losing their opener against Senegal in Monastir.
The victory made the supporters, including the politicians, come up for the first time in history since the outbreak of war in 2013 and welcome their team as one people of one nation.