The basketball team from Rumbek North County emerged victorious as the champions of the New Year 2024 Basketball Peace Tournament Cup. They achieved this feat by defeating the Rumbek Central County basketball team with a score of 63 to 53. The competition featured six counties, namely Wulu, Cueibet, Rumbek East, Greater Yirol, Rumbek North, and Rumbek Central County.
The basketball peace tournament, which was attended by senior officials, concluded in Rumbek Freedom Square on Tuesday. Caretaker Minister of Culture, Youth, and Sports, Chol Kuotwel Manhom, who also serves as the Minister of Local Government and Law Enforcement Agency, shared details of the tournament with Radio Tamazuj on Tuesday.
Minister Manhom highlighted the significance of promoting sports activities for youth engagement and fostering peace in Lakes State. He commended the efforts of the Lakes State Basketball Association for organizing the tournament, emphasizing the positive impact of such events on bringing communities together.
“We are delighted to announce that Rumbek North has clinched the championship in the peace tournament. Our focus is on encouraging youth participation in peaceful activities like sports and wrestling, fostering social cohesion and mutual understanding. This initiative contributes to the promotion of genuine and lasting peace in Lakes State. As we celebrate this success, I extend my gratitude to the management of the Lakes State Basketball Association for their organization of this event. This marks the beginning of various sports-related activities during this festive season,” he stated.
“We have successfully concluded the tournament, and Rumbek North County has emerged as the champion, securing the Peace Cup for Lakes State. Other activities are progressing as planned,” stated the caretaker minister of Culture, Youth, and Sports, James Malal, who also serves as the head coach for the Rumbek North County basketball team.
Reflecting on the game between Rumbek North and Rumbek Central Counties, Coach Malal expressed satisfaction with the overall performance but acknowledged some challenges. He emphasized the importance of continued support from the government, county commissioners, and peace advocates to address these challenges.
“While the game was good, we faced a few challenges. We need consistent support from our State government, county commissioners, and other peace enthusiasts. Sports, especially basketball, serves as a focal point for peace, bringing people together. Our challenges are minimal, mainly centered around the need for reliable referees. Despite this, Rumbek North emerged victorious,” explained Coach Malal.
He recognized the tough competition from Rumbek Central County and anticipated their potential victory in the upcoming year. Coach Malal highlighted a specific challenge related to the basketball association acting as referees, hindering fair play. He emphasized the necessity of having independent referees to avoid conflicts of interest within the association.
“We organized a basketball peace tournament in Lakes State, featuring a semi-final match against Rumbek East County, which we won yesterday. Today, in the final, we played against Rumbek North as a united team and unfortunately lost. However, we view it as a normal part of the game. Our primary goal is to contribute to the stability of our state, aligning with the efforts of our capable governor, as evidenced by the positive changes in Rumbek freedom square, where all sports activities now take place,” he said.
He further explained that the field hosted various activities, including Beli, Kabulo, wrestling, and football. He expressed appreciation for the leadership of Lakes State, acknowledging General Governor Rin Tueny Mabor for bringing peace to the state. Special recognition was also given to the Minister of Culture, Youth, and Sports, William Koji, for advocating youth engagement through sports.
The speaker emphasized the importance of involving youth in sports, extending this engagement to even cattle keepers in remote areas. Traditional sports, like wrestling, have proven effective in reaching and involving the youth. He highlighted the widespread use of wrestling in all Payams under Lakes State, attributing it to the positive impact of peace brought by the governor.
Moses Guong, chairman of the basketball association in Lakes State, expressed enthusiasm about the opportunity for the six counties—Wulu, Cueibet, Rumbek Central, Rumbek North, Rumbek East, and Greater Yirol—to participate in the basketball champions tournament.
Reflecting on the final day of the basketball tournament, Guong noted that it symbolized the end of past problems and highlighted the unifying power of peace. He stressed the importance of sports activities in fostering community harmony and discouraging conflicts and revenge killings.
Despite not securing a trophy, Guong mentioned their visit to UNMISS to request support and urged commissioners from the eight counties to prepare for future tournaments. He emphasized the government’s role in ensuring the success of such events, directing the commissioner of Rumbek Central County to relay this message to other commissioners.
“The challenge lies within the basketball association. Some members have taken on the role of referees, obstructing fair play and creating conflicts. We need referees who are separate from the association, ensuring impartial judgment. Lack of referee training exacerbates the issue,” he added.
Commenting on the match, Matur Maker Ruoc, the basketball team captain of Rumbek Central County, gracefully accepted defeat, acknowledging the game’s purpose as a platform for peace. Organized by the administration of the basketball association in Lakes State, the tournament featured six counties—Rumbek North, Rumbek Central, Wulu, Cueibet, and Greater—united as one team for this event focused on fostering peace.