As it gets ready to host a Sports Financing Conference next month, South Sudan is stepping up to finance, grow, and invest in sport as it hopes to lead Africa in athletics.
The conference, which follows the country’s impressive performance in the Paris 2024 Olympics, will bring together government agencies, private investors, and international stakeholders to explore new avenues for financing and growing South Sudan's sports industry.
Speaking on Monday during the assessment of sport facilities at the Bank of South Sudan, Dr. Joseph Geng Akec, Minister of Youth and Sport, expressed the ministry vision for the future of South Sudan sports, revealing that the council of ministers has approved a policy that aims to enhance economic opportunities through sports.
“Three weeks ago, we passed a sports development policy in which the government's vision is very clear. We want to commercialize sports so that if you are playing, you're playing to get an income,” Geng said.
“We aim to see the private sector going to federations and saying, I want to support and invest in athletics so that the best runners in the region will be South Sudanese in two years.
“We're showing you the potential for investment, the commercial value in sports. You put your money; it is not a gift. Put your money, there is a reward. For those who watch football, they know the Premier League very well. In England, it is worth 9 billion British pounds. How much is that in dollars and in our currency? It's a lot for only one league.”
Geng emphasizes a proactive approach to sports development, focusing on fostering private sector involvement to enhance the nation's sports capabilities.
He said South Sudan's participation in the Paris 2024 Olympics, where it achieved a historic victory against Puerto Rico with a score of 90-79, extends beyond competition and celebration despite coming back without medals.
This achievement marks the first time South Sudan competes in Olympic basketball, having qualified as the highest-placed African team during the 2023 FIBA World Cup.
“We were not there as underdogs; we were there actually for the gold; we did not go there for silver, but of course we did our part, and they know, and everyone knows. So, we are no longer talking about potential, we are talking about results,” Geng stated.
“We are moving beyond celebrating potential to providing results for that potential. So, in sports in particular, we celebrate our potential, but also results that we have seen when we represented the entire Africa in Paris.”
Dr. James Alic, governor of the Bank of South Sudan, who is offering a hall to host the sport financing conference, stated that the country has not invested much in sports, despite the role it plays in national unity.
“Sport is there to unite the people; we have seen this over and over, and for us as a country, we have not invested so much in sport. We must tell ourselves that sport is here for us. Sport is here to unite, as it was during the basketball competition, both in Paris and in other places,” said Alic.
The South Sudan basketball team's journey under the leadership of NBA star Luol Deng, gathered attention and support in a very short time, developing into a formidable force in African basketball.
Their recent achievements not only spotlight the potential of South Sudanese talents in sport but also underscore the importance of a supportive infrastructure for sports in the nation.
As South Sudan gears up for the Sports Financing Conference, the hope is to channel the momentum from its Olympic success into tangible investments in sports, paving the way for future triumphs on both the national and international stages.