Jonglei football body denied participation in national league
August 25, 2015 (BOR) – The football association in South Sudan’s Jonglei state has deliberately been prevented from participating in this year’s national football tournament.
The state minister for sports, Peter Chol Wal said formation of Jonglei’s football association was not witnessed by the national association, hence the players, who are not organised, would not be permitted to participate in any national matters.
According to Wal, his ministry had informed the local footballers to organise themselves by forming football association, as per instructions he received from Juba just after the crisis last year.
He said he did not understand why Jonglei football association that was formed as per instructions from the national association again turned out to be illegal.
“The problem of Jonglei state local football association is really complicated by the national chairperson of Football association. The chairperson, last time, had given a green light for the association to be formed. Immediately when we came back to Bor after crisis, we informed people to form their local association”, said Wal.
“After the general assembly that was held in Wau the elected chairperson, who is Deng Awuok, again refused to recognise Jonglei Football association”, he added.
According to the sports minister, even the chairperson of Jonglei football association who was elected during an exercise witnessed by the national body was not recognised.
“When the elections were held, national football association, sent some representatives to witness the elections, and they came to my office and allowed them”, he said. “What I will do, I will explain the situation to the minister of youth and sport at the national level”.
Meanwhile, the general assembly of footballers and other officials are due to meet amidst suggestions that a strike was likely to take place to amicably resolve the matter.
(ST)