The South Sudan Basketball Federation and the Eastern Equatoria State government on Friday inaugurated a newly constructed basketball court in Torit.
This is among the six basketball courts the federation said they plan to fix in the first phase across South Sudan.
Sports officials believe having basketball courts across the country will enable the national team to have different skills and will continue prospering on the global stage.
South Sudan is rated among one of the best basketball teams in Africa and qualified to participate in the world cup in the Philippines in August.
Eastern Equatoria state Governor Louis Lobong Lojore while officially opening the basketball court, urged young people to engage in sports activities for their health and also to get exposure.
“It is important that everybody is involved and particularly for our young people. Sports is important in your life and health and will make you live long,” he said. “It has become like education and there are commercial benefits if you play well and you will become rich. Many people have become rich because of sports.”
Governor Lobong pledged to continue supporting young people in all aspects ranging from education to sports among others.
Meanwhile, Dr. Aru Ramadan, the secretary general of the SSBF said the new court will boost the national team and encourage women to get involved in sports.
“By having several basketball courts around and seeing people running around playing basketball and developing their skills, it gives us joy,” he said “We dream that during the next world cup, we are going to have one of these boys from Torit playing on the national team. I will also push that we involve these young girls to develop their skills so that they can join the national team too.”
Benson Okwahi Juma, a basketball player in Torit, told Radio Tamazuj that he was excited about the new facility.
“I am very happy because we have been practicing and realized that there are people here who can play basketball but they are not exposed because the court was not there,” he said. “After the official opening today, it will encourage people who want to play to improve their skills.”
Peter Loruma another player, expresses optimism about the launch and says he was happy to discover that a basketball association exists in the state.
“Other sports activities have been taking place except basketball,” he said.
On her part, Deputy Governor Mary Alphonse Lodira said sports is a vehicle for peace and should not be politicized.
“Sports is also a peaceful thing and does not have politics. South Sudanese put politics in everything but we should not bring politics into sports and people administering this federation must look wider” she said. “We have people with potential here who can put this nation in the limelight.”