South Sudan Sport Thread

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South Sudan runner bids for independent Olympic place

Wed, 18 Jul 2012 11:40 GMT



Guor Marial and Bard Poore, a U.S. runner who is helping Marial in his bid to run as an independent. Photo supplied by Brad Poore

By Emma Batha

LONDON (AlertNet) - A refugee from Sudan’s civil war who became a top distance runner after moving to the United States is fighting for last-minute permission to compete in the London Olympics as an independent.

Guor Marial, 28, who was born in southern Sudan at the start of the conflict, would have liked to run the marathon for South Sudan which became an independent country last year.

But South Sudan has not yet established a National Olympic Committee so it cannot send a team to the games, which open next week.

The athlete told AlertNet that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has suggested he run for Sudan, which has invited him to join its team.

But Marial, who lost 28 members of his family in the war, has refused.

“I lost my family and relatives, and in South Sudan 2 million people died,” he said by phone from Flagstaff, Arizona, where he lives.

“For me to just go and represent Sudan is a betrayal of my country first of all, and is disrespecting my people who died for freedom.”

South Sudan gained independence last July after a 2005 peace deal ended more than two decades of war between the mostly Christian south and Arab north. But tensions remain high following clashes in contested borderlands and rows over oil payments.

Rights group Refugees International wrote to IOC President Jacques Rogge on Tuesday to request Marial be allowed to compete as an independent under the Olympic flag.

The letter said it was inappropriate to ask Marial to run for Sudan.

“Numerous members of Mr Marial’s family have been killed by Sudanese security forces, and he himself has suffered serious physical abuse at the hands of Sudanese police,” RI President Michel Gabaudan wrote.

“The threats against him are serious and were recognised as such when he gained refugee status in the United States. Therefore, asking Mr Marial to submit once again to Sudanese authority as an Olympic athlete is not acceptable.”

Refugees International also pointed out that Khartoum had stripped up to 500,000 southern Sudanese still living in Sudan of Sudanese nationality.

“Allowing Sudan to carve out a special exception for Mr Marial is inappropriate when hundreds of thousands like him have had their nationalities revoked en masse with no possibility of appeal,” the letter said.

The IOC was not immediately available for comment.

PERSONAL BEST

Marial cannot race for the United States, even though he has permanent residency, because athletes have to be full citizens of the countries they represent.

In a marathon in San Diego, California, last month Marial ran a personal best, finishing in a time of 2:12:55.

“If I did get permission to run in London, the shape I’m in right now, I think I might be in the top 15 to 20,” said the chemistry graduate, who works with people with mental disabilities when he’s not training.

Marial left Sudan at the age of 14 following an attack when Sudanese soldiers entered his home at night. He was left unconscious after a soldier smashed his jaw with a rifle.

The athlete, who arrived in the United States when he was 16, said he appreciated Sudan’s offer but it was impossible to accept.

“In my situation, the consequences of me representing Sudan are bigger than me going to the Olympics,” he said in the interview late Tuesday.

“At this level, as an athlete, I don’t just represent my family, but the whole of South Sudan. It’s a very heavy responsibility to carry. It’s very important for me to make the right decision,” he added.

“My dream is to represent South Sudan. It’s just a matter of time.”

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Bilfam Warriors Volleyball champions

Tuesday, 17 July 2012 | Lagu Francis

Bilfam warriors have been crowned the male champions of the first Dr John Garang volleyball tournament after defeating Rainbow 3-0.

In the female category, Simba emerged winners after beating the women's Rainbow team by 3-1.

The finals were played at the Juba local basketball stadium in Nimra Talata on Sunday.

Miraya FM

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London 2012 Olympics: South Sudan's Guor Marial allowed to compete under Olympic flag in London


By Telegraph Sport | 21 Jul 2012

South Sudan-born marathon runner Guor Marial will be allowed to take to the start line at the London Olympics after the International Olympic Committee granted him permission to run under the Olympic flag.

The 28-year-old, who fled to the United States from Sudan at the age of eight after 28 members of his family were killed by the Sudanese government, cannot compete for the newly formed South Sudan as it does not have a National Olympic Committee and thus is not yet a ratified Olympic state.

He could not compete for the USA as he does not possess an American passport, although he does have a green card allowing him to live there, and he rejected Sudan’s invitation to compete for them for as he did not consider himself a citizen of that country.

The situation looked as though Marial would not be able to take part in London but the IOC executive board has agreed to allow him to take part as an independent athlete.

"I was getting ready to go for a run. Wow. This is so exciting," he said. "It's hard to describe. I'm speechless. The body temperature is up. I have to train like an Olympian now."

Sudan and South Sudan came close to all-out war in April following border clashes, the worst violence since South Sudan declared its independence a year ago under a 2005 peace agreement that ended decades of civil war.

"The voice of South Sudan has been heard," said Marial. "The South Sudan has finally got a spot in the world community. Even though I will not carry their flag in this Olympic Games, the country itself is there. The dream has come true. The hope of South Sudan is alive."

Marial said he'll ask his father – who still lives in South Sudan – to travel to the nearest city to watch him compete on TV.

He added: "Most important is the people of South Sudan. They struggle so much, so if I can accomplish something, I can help,"

"That's why every morning, I get up, I put on my shoes and I train."

New Hampshire senator Jeanne Shaheen lent support to Marial's Olympic bid by sending a letter to the IOC appealing for the athlete to compete under the Olympic flag.

The IOC Executive Board's decision will see him march under the IOC flag at the opening ceremony on Friday along with three athletes from the former Netherlands Antilles.

Those athletes have refused to run for the Netherlands since their former country ceased to officially exist in 2010.

At the 1992 Barcelona Games, competitors from Yugoslavia competed under the Olympic flag because of the break-up of the country, which left them with no national team. They didn't march at the opening ceremony but the Olympic flag was raised on their behalf during award ceremonies.

Four athletes from East Timor were allowed in under the Olympic flag in Sydney in 2000 because East Timor wasn't an independent country.

The IOC had said that Kuwaiti athletes could compete as independents in the London Games after suspending the country's Olympic committee in 2010 because of government interference. However, they have since lifted the Kuwaiti ban.

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Emmotional day for some of the players as the national anthem rings out around the ground....This was the first internationally recognised Match for South Sudan.

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South Sudan Wheelchair Basketball Team Hopes for Paralympics Berth

Hannah McNeish | July 25, 2012

JUBA, South Sudan — At a basketball court in South Sudan’s capital Juba, the national wheelchair team is still practicing hard - despite only a glimmer of hope that a select few will get a last-minute chance to compete in London's upcoming Paralympic Games.

Wheelchair-bound basketball players race around a court in the sweltering evening heat. The players bear the scars of the ravages of war and poverty: limbs lost to land mines and bomb shrapnel, or twisted by polio.

The decades-long civil war from which the new nation of South Sudan emerged in July 2011 left a legacy of some 50,000 disabled people. It is why representation of the wheelchair basketball team in this year's Paralympic Games is so important.

Gatluak Kual Luak, president of the Wheelchair Basketball Association, said the dream of competing in London has kept the team together.

“If South Sudan wheelchair basketball appears or is seen in the Olympics, it will mean [a lot] not only to me, but it will mean [a lot] to the whole of the nation,” said Luak.

But the nation's Olympic dream is fading fast.

South Sudan fell short of forming the minimum five sports federations in time to become a full member of the International Olympic Committee.

South Sudan Minister of Sports Cirino Hiteng Ofuho said that despite a letter from President Salva Kiir to the IOC, hopes of raising South Sudan’s flag have disappeared.

“The appeal of the president was that 'yes, we are aware of these preconditions, but we are willing to work to fulfill them, but allow us, these are games that come every four years.'" said Ofuho.

The IOC recently relaxed its rules to let star South Sudanese marathon runner Marial Guor, who resides in the United States, compete under the Olympic flag.

Ofuho said he hopes the wheelchair basketball team can be squeezed into the Paralympics.

“One of our athletes is going to be, has been allowed by the IOC to participate. It came late, but we can still thank them,” said Ofuho.

Coach Nyambura Kenyi Gabriel said representing South Sudan abroad would be a huge boost for disabled people that often feel they have no future here.

"It will be very most important and great once we go and compete in the Olympics. So it will be very important for us, and it will be very important for the disabled people. Because it is said, disability does not mean inability. That means that they have also talent to compete in sport,” said Gabriel.

Gabriel says that until the team is allowed abroad, these courts will never be empty.

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Volcano beats El-Nijum

Jonglei State team El-Nijum suffered a humbled defeat at the hands of Eastern Equatoria’s Volcano in a football match played at Bor Stadium last Saturday.



By Jacob AchiekJok

BOR, 31 July 2012 [Gurtong] – Volcano who thrashed El-Nijum 3-0 was the first to score in the first half through John Peter Alberto.

They added the second goal before the end of the half and a third goal in the beginning of the second half.

The national team head coach Zoran Djordjervic said the football match it was good for each player to demonstrate his quality and talents.

“This is really a chance for every player to show his talent and motivation to play for our national teams someday,” said Djordjervic.

Djordjervic added that they are using the tournaments to scout for the under 21 and under 19 football players.

Volcano team leader Abramem Inima said the mission of the tournament is to show the importance of football sport in South Sudan especially between Eastern Equatoria and Jonglei states.

The State Minister of Youth and Sport Baba Medan said that football is one of the sports which will bring peace among the youths of South Sudan.

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S. Sudan to build football stadium in Lakes state



August 2, 2012 (JUBA)- South Sudan on Thursday said it planned to build its first ever modern football stadium in the Lakes state capital, Rumbek.

The government made the pledge during an official function marking the opening of the first intra-schools competition which started in Rumbek on Thursday. The event, which drew school teams from across the nation, was attended by government officials who highlighted South Sudan’s interest in joining the world of international sport.

South Sudan was admitted to the Confederation of African Football in February and the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) in May. Most recently the team drew 2-2 against Uganda in a match held in Juba in May.

“We will build the first modern football stadium here; the minister of youth and sports is determined to do it. The government is determined to build it”, vice president Riek Machar said at the event.

He also commended the success of the South Sudanese army, the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) whose volleyball team which won a trophy in an East African tournament.

He said that the South Sudanese people “have the potential” for sporting success, suggesting it could be because “we have the tallest people” or due to generations of people herding cattle. He acknowledged that additional training and investment would be required.

Physical education teachers and stadiums would be required for sporting progress to be made, explained Machar.

Since refusing to run for Sudan, marathon runner Guor Marial will run at the London Olympics without the flag of his nation, as South Sudan is yet to establish the prerequisite National Olympic Committee.

South Sudanese Lopez Lomong will run the Olympic 5,000m for the United States, where he sought asylum in 2007.

Western Bahr el Ghazal state minister of youth and sports, Anyar Anyar, on Thursday told Sudan Tribune that sport has the potential to dissuade people from tribalism and to promote peace and unity.

Machar also announced that the second anniversary celebrations of South Sudan’s independence would be celebrated in Lakes state.

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South Sudan enter FIFA rankings


The team, made up nearly entirely of home-based players, is coached by widely-travelled Serb Zoran Djordjevic, who has also taken charge of Yemen, Sudan and Bangladesh. (Getty Images)

The team, made up nearly entirely of home-based players, is coached by widely-travelled Serb Zoran Djordjevic, who has also taken charge of Yemen, Sudan and Bangladesh. (Getty Images)

South Sudan have entered the FIFA world rankings for the first time after playing their inaugural full international last month.

South Sudan have entered the FIFA world rankings for the first time after playing their inaugural full international last month.

A 2-2 draw at home to Uganda in a friendly played in Juba on July 10 has put South Sudan 199th in the 209-team table. South Sudan, which became fully independent last year, joined FIFA in May after being voted in at the annual Congress.

The team, made up nearly entirely of home-based players, is coached by widely-travelled Serb Zoran Djordjevic, who has also taken charge of Yemen, Sudan and Bangladesh in a career which has taken him around Africa and Asia.

England reached their highest-ever ranking of third place without even playing a game.

They leap-frogged Uruguay because the points which the South American side earned in winning the Copa America one year ago lost some of their value under the complicated system of co-efficient used to determine the rankings.

There were few other changes with only 12 full internationals played in the last month. Spain are top while five-times world champions Brazil remained outside the top 10.

1. (1) Spain

2. (2) Germany

3. (4) England

4. (3) Uruguay

5. (5) Portugal

6. (6) Italy

7. (7) Argentina

8. (8) Netherlands

9. (9) Croatia

10. (10) Denmark

(Reporting by Brian Homewood; Editing by Amlan Chakraborty)

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20 points were awarded to South Sudan following the draw against Uganda.

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Luol Deng, Guor Marial, and Lopez Lomong

Although they're competing under different flags.....They're pride of South Sudan

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Runner without a country finishes marathon

By JOHN PYE, AP Sports Writer

LONDON (AP) — While his competitors ran under the brightly colored flags of their countries, marathoner Guor Marial competed in a black and gray uniform, the letters "I.O.A." printed across his chest.

Independent Olympic Athlete.

When he crossed the finish line, he touched those three letters, then pounded the left side of his chest with his fist in a subtle but significant gesture to describe his Olympic experience.

The south Sudan refugee competed Sunday under the banner of the International Olympic Committee. A runner without a country, he didn't want to compete for Sudan and couldn't compete for the United States, where he lives and trains but is not a citizen. He finished 47th, 11:31 minutes behind the winning time.

The time was of little consequence.

"Finishing the marathon is more important than anything like that," he said. "This is special for the people who support me, in the United States and the whole world and my people in south Sudan. It was important for me to finish, no matter what."

Not having a flag "doesn't worry me a lot because coming here, technically, I feel like I was representing south Sudan even though I was not wearing it," he told The Associated Press immediately after the marathon. "It is important to bring the name of south Sudan here and raise awareness of the issue going on in south Sudan."

Marial, 28, was born in what is now the newly independent country of South Sudan. He fled a long time before the south broke away from Sudan last year and doesn't have any South Sudanese documents. Although he is now a permanent resident in the U.S. — he trains in Flagstaff, Ariz., — he's not a citizen there, either.

He was offered the chance to represent Sudan at the games but declined.

With no passport, no country and seemingly no hope, Marial met fellow runner Brad Poore at a race in Minneapolis in October and 10 months later — with plenty of help from his new friend — he got to compete on the final day of the London Olympics.

Poore had phoned everyone he could think of from charities to senators, embassies and border agencies so that Marial would be able to compete.

Marial had run only two marathons previously, but finished both in Olympic qualifying times. His second was just two months ago in San Diego, leaving him very little time to taper for the biggest race of his life.

"It was a heavy responsibility on my shoulders, but it was great," he said. "I feel blessed to be able to do this. Two marathons back-to-back in two months, was not ideal. The whole thing is to do this to honor our people. Support the refugees and the people of South Sudan."

Thousands of people lined the marathon route, which wound past many of London's famous landmarks and finished in the Mall, within sight of Buckingham Palace. He saw people waving south Sudan flags, and yelling encouragement to him in his native tongue. And he heard plenty of other support from the fans who have followed his story.

For that, he was grateful to the IOC for helping get to London.

"The IOC is great. It's special. I can't thank them enough for giving me this opportunity," he said. "At the same time, It's about the people. In my heart here, I'm carrying those people in my heart."

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47th‎ | 2:19:32 sec

All done with no coach or sponsor........

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Guor Marial....

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Louisville adds Mangok Mathiang, a 6-10 late commitment

Published Wednesday, Aug 1, 2012 at 3:22 pm EDT

Louisville coach Rick Pitino, whose club is coming off a Final Four run and is ranked No. 3 in preseason, continues to add depth to his roster in an anticipated run for the 2013 national title. On Wednesday, Pitino secured a late commitment from 6-10 center Mangok Mathiang.

Mathiang picked Louisville over offers from Auburn, Central Michigan, Georgia, Kansas State and Mississippi State.

A Sudan native who played a post-graduate season at IMG Academies in Bradenton, Fla., Mathiang still has some eligibility issues to sort out to be able to play this coming season.

“We think there’s some things we’ve got to take care of, but he’ll be there when school starts,” IMG coach Loren Jackson told The Courier-Journal. “I have a relationship with coach (Pitino) and told him I had a kid that would be a great fit.”

Mathiang could be a useful piece off the bench behind starting center Gorgui Dieng, who averaged 9.1 points, 9.1 rebounds and 3.2 blocks per game last season. The Cardinals also are loaded at forward with Chane Behanan and incoming freshman Montrezl Harrell and in the backcourt with All-American candidate Peyton Siva at point guard plus sharpshooter Russ Smith and budding star Wayne Blackshear.

Pitino had a late scholarship available after incoming freshman Terry Rozier decided to spend a post-graduate year at Hargrave Military Academy (Va.) before entering college.

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Chier Ajou ruled eligible by NCAA


By Scott Powers | ESPNChicago.com | Updated: August 16, 2012, 8:54 PM ET


Northwestern freshman center Chier Ajou has been cleared by the NCAA and will be eligible for the upcoming season, Wildcats coach Bill Carmody announced Thursday.

Ajou, a 7-foot-2 center, is originally from the South Sudan and attended Culver Academies in Indiana for two years and went to St. Thomas More School in Connecticut last year. He signed with Northwestern in June and is the program's tallest player ever.

Ajou averaged 14 points, nine rebounds and 2.6 blocks last season.

Northwestern is coming off a 19-10 season and its fourth consecutive NIT appearance. The Wildcats return four starters and welcome four freshmen, two redshirt freshmen and two eligible transfers to this year's roster.

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