SSBF Logo/Courtesy

South Sudan Basketball Federation has welcomed directives from the Ministry of Youth and Sports indefinitely suspending elections of a leadership.

According to a statement sent to the Eye Radio newsroom, the Ministry through the National Commission for the Registration of Youth and Sports bodies has asked the SSBF to put on hold elections until further notice.

On Thursday, members of the federation met the State Basketball Associations over state of Basketball management in the Country.

The meeting was attended by the executive body and the presidents, vice presidents, secretaries-general, and finance secretaries of the South Sudan Basketball Associations.

According to SSBF, the National Commission for the Registration of Youth and Sports bodies has informed them that the new Minister of Youth and Sports has put on hold elections until further notice.

They stated that the postponed elections were communicated through the National Commission for the Registration of Youth and Sports bodies.

“The (SSBF) and State Associations have acknowledged and welcomed the Ministry’s directives to postpone the elections until further notice,” stated the statement.

“In accordance with the communication from the Ministry of Youth & Sports, conveyed via the National Commission for the Registration of Youth and Sports Bodies in a letter dated November 22, 2023, elections are on hold until further notice,” says the statement.

“The (SSBF) and State Associations have acknowledged and welcomed the Ministry’s directives to postpone the elections until further notice.”

The SSBF also sought the ministry’s directive in the case of the Secretary-General and Finance Secretary suspended in July 2022.

In a statement, the SSBF promised to provide the Minister of Youth & Sports with reports, evidence, and findings of the investigation.

The SSBF further says they will work with the Ministry of Youth and Sports to ensure the formation of the General Assembly.

“The Federation shall provide the Hon. Minister with any necessary information concerning the status of Basketball in South Sudan or any other matters,” stated the statement.

“Additionally. the (SSBF), as per the constitution, shall liaise with the Ministry to ensure the formation of the General Assembly and therefore, an electoral period,” stated the statement.

Other items discussed on the agenda include the commitment of the SSBF to complete the construction of 13 basketball court projects.

On Thursday, a group calling itself SSBF’s General Assembly held a separate extraordinary meeting on Thursday where they announced the suspension of Basketball President, Luol Deng.

Andrew Makuei, who spoke on behalf of the SSBF General Assembly cited Luol’s failure to respond to a meeting called as his four-year tenure came to an end.

“The extraordinary general assembly made a resolution to suspend and further investigation to our president Luol Deng to respond to the assembly and also give us a report of the four years of being in the office,” said Makuei.

However, the South Sudan Basketball Federation has dismissed statements that the president was suspended by the general assembly.

In a press statement released on Friday, the federation disregarded the reports and said: “Luol Deng remains the national president of the federation until further notice as per the directives of the new minister of Youth and Sports to put the elections on hold.”

The statement alleges the secretary-general and finance secretary who organized the said general assembly meeting were both suspended by the president in July 2022.