The women's basketball team touched down in Kigali on July 9th for the country's first-ever Afrobasket qualifiers/Photo: SSBF

South Sudan Basketball fans who were supposed to travel to Manila and support the Bright Stars have alleged that they were left behind and replaced with a “political delegation” despite obtaining entry VISAS.

The president of the South Sudan Bright Stars Ultras, Bader Abdallah, better known as Kawaja, said he and 15 others have been left behind after doing all preparations.

Bright Stars Ultras is a fans group that normally supports all South Sudan’s national teams.

Khawaja expressed his disappointment a day after the country lost by a narrow margin of 101-96 to Puerto Rico in the opening of Group B game on Saturday.

The head of nstional teams supporters said members of his group were first invited by the Ministry of Youth and Sport, and they were served with entry VISA through the Office of the Vice President for Youth Cluster, Mama Rebecca Nyandeng.

He partly blamed the Bright Stars’ loss to lack of fans motivation, and said his team were ready to give moral support to the players through traditional dances and cheers.

According to him, they were surprisingly left behind in the last minute by the Ministry of Youth and Sport without any reason.

“We were supposed to travel with the team to Philippines. We had been provided with entry VISA by Office of the Vice President and told we would travel through the Ministry of Youth and Sports,” he narrated in an interview with Eye Radio.

“On the day of the flight, we came to airport and we didn’t get our tickets. That’s why we didn’t travel, our boys now are doing the best, but they are only  lacking the moral supports.”

Kawaja said his group does not need money, food or accommodation, but only that they should be there to “support the boys.”

“Our intention was not touring or money, we were trying to present our cultural dancing to the ward by supporting our team through dancing , we are not after money or tuoring.”

Meanwhile, the Secretary-General of Central Equatoria basketball Federation Paul Isaac lamented a similar situation.

Isaac said the organizers of the World Cup trip switched off their phones in the last day – leaving them in the dark.

According to him, only a tight-lipped political delegation travelled with the national team.

He reiterated that lack of moral support can weaken the national team.

“We as the state association were part of the delegation, but at the end, only a small delegation travelled.”

“It was a political delegation and not a sport delegation, the two delegations were supposed to be complementary, for me what happened has nothing to do with sports.”

“You cannot arrange a huge delegation and provide them with entry VISA, and asked them to be ready so that they go and support the boys , only to switch off your phones.”

“We have learned that only the minister with small group are the ones who travel. It is unfortunate the fans and supporters who are prepared all the equipment for supporting the team were left behind because we are not politicans. We are sport supporters.”

Neither the organizers nor the Ministry of Youth and Sport was immediately available for comment.