By Eurohoops Team/ info@eurohoops.net
South Sudan made history Friday (24/2) by punching a ticket to the 2023 World Cup thanks to a 83 – 75 win over Senegal in Alexandria, Egypt. Numerous fans of South Sudan, reportedly from all over the globe, traveled to attend the game and have the opportunity to witness such an achievement for their country and it basketball scene up close.
They weren’t allowed in the gym though. According to several reports, it was decided that no fans – including those of Senegal – will enter the arena due to “security reasons” in apparently a very late notice that was announced only after South Sudan supporters made it all the way to Alexandria.
Former NBAer Luol Deng, the president of the South Sudan Federation and acting head coach of the national team in the World Cup Qualifiers, slammed both FIBA and Egyptian Federation for being the ones responsible for this situation.
Here’s what Deng said:
“This is going out to FIBA and this is going out to the Egyptian Federation. Whatever’s been going on this week, I hope everything is being recorded, how teams are treated and how everything’s been programmed. We have a team in South Sudan that’s about to make history. This is an incredible story not only for FIBA but for African basketball. We have fans traveling from States, and flying in from other countries. Nobody brings in more fans than South Sudan right now. We were never told that fans aren’t allowed in the game. We were told that fans are allowed to come. This morning we woke up and our fans are outside. They stood outside the whole game, they weren’t allowed [to go in].
“FIBA should be ashamed. The Egyptian Federation should be ashamed. Whatever’s going on here needs to stop. Basketball doesn’t need this. This is a great story and and we’ve been robbed today from celebrating with our fans who came all the way out here. Now as a team and as Federation and as president of the Federation we need to make up. Because that’s the biggest disappointment that I’ve had. We make history and our fans aren’t allowed in the day we’re making it. They didn’t announce it yesterday, they announced it today. FIBA needs to look at that.”
Behind 26 points and eight rebounds by Nuni Omot, South Sudan beat Senegal to register its ninth win over 10 games and secure a spot in the World Cup. The “Bright Stars” became the first African team to advance to the World Championship in its first participation in Qualifiers.
Luol Deng’s players grabbed another victory Saturday (25/20) by defeating Congo 82 – 61.
Photo: FIBA