South Sudan is revelling in its Olympic joy
South Sudan is revelling in its Olympic joy
After a long, hard road to Paris, we aimed for the sky and reached the stars.
Adhieu Majok
I can still hear the chants of “SSD! [South Sudan] SSD!” reverberating. It has been a whirlwind few years, and an even faster-paced summer for the Bright Stars – South Sudan’s men’s basketball team.
Africa’s first-ranked basketball team propelled itself to the world stage by becoming the continent’s only men’s basketball team to qualify for the 2024 Summer Olympics.
The journey to Paris 2024 was not easy. Just 13 years ago, South Sudan did not exist as a country, and the team’s players were scattered worldwide, displaced by the decades-long civil war.
Against that history, they arrived in France – united under the leadership of Luol Deng, the president of the South Sudan Basketball Federation, and head coach Royal Ivey.
I attended two of the team’s preOlympic friendlies in London and its final group-stage game against Serbia in Lille, France.
In the pre-Olympic games, basketball fans were stunned when the Bright Stars lost to the world’s number one, the United States, by just one point.
Praise rained down from some of the sport’s greatest including LeBron James and Team USA head coach Steve Kerr. A media storm ensued. One thing had been made clear: Team South Sudan was not to be underestimated.
Hundreds of South Sudanese fans from all over the world, including South Sudan, Australia, Europe and North America, brought an energy that was simply unmatched.
Clad in SSD basketball t-shirts and beaded necklaces and bracelets with the country’s colours, they waved flags and chanted “SSD! SSD!”, singing and dancing to traditional music.
Even after the US game, fans gathered outside the O2 Arena chanting “SSD! SSD!” as supporters of our opponents watched our celebratory spirit after the loss with amazement.
We entered the Olympics on a high, defeating Puerto Rico 90-79 during our first game. In the second game against the US, the Americans came back with a vengeance, defeating us.
Ultimately, South Sudan failed to reach the quarterfinals. Despite this, the team received a hero’s welcome in Juba, just a few days ago, including from President Salva Kiir who has promised to continue supporting sports development.
Despite bowing out of the Olympics earlier than we hoped for, the Bright Stars remain winners to many of us. They brought a welcome respite from the negative media coverage that South Sudan is typically in the headlines for: ongoing armed conflicts and a deteriorating economy. They showed the world the hope that determination, investment and great leadership can bring to the country’s story.
Seeing our country’s name associated with something so positive, and on the world stage and in the media, fills us with immense sense of pride and affirms the South Sudanese often challenging selfdetermination journey.
The team may not have left with a medal but they cemented their place in the hearts of old fans, won new fans and reaffirmed a people.