Luol Deng suspends top basketball officials
The South Sudanese Basketball Federation President Luol Deng has suspended two key officials as leadership wrangles threaten division at the federation.
The decision to suspend Anyuat Angui, the federations’ Secretary-General and finance secretary – Deng Biar Deng, was taken just a day after the national basketball team wrote history in Rwanda this past weekend.
South Sudan qualified to the fourth round of the ongoing FIBA World Cup 2023 Africa Qualifiers – after winning all her Group B matches, in Kigali last week.
Deng accused the two officials of, among others, violation of the integrity of the game, insubordination and bringing the name of the country into disrepute.
“In my capacity as the president and head of the Executive Committee of SSBF, do hereby issue this order for an immediate suspension of Marier Anyuat Angui and Deng Biar Deng,’ Deng said in a letter copied to the Ministry of Youth & Sports, FIBA Africa and South Sudan National Olympic Committee (SSNOC) and seen by The City Review.
Lual further accused the officials of working behind his back, adding that a secret communication with international bodies, almost got South Sudan kicked out of the ongoing qualifiers.
“They are suspended due to the violation of the integrity of the South Sudan Basketball Federation by committing the following acts:
“By submitting a fraudulent document to FIBA requesting full representation of SSD at the 2nd FIBA Africa Mid-Term General Assembly on March 31st 2022 without knowledge or an approval from the President of SSBF.”
It seems that the infightings and power wrangles started as early as 2020. Deng further revealed that his juniors, in October 2020 ignored his advice to have some of the team members who had tested positive of Covid 19 be isolated in Nairobi.
“After some team members and delegation contracted COVID-19 virus on a trip to Cameroon, the president asked the SG to lead those who tested negative after the competition to travel and isolate in Kenya, (he) ignored the directive.
“The SG and FS took a decision without the knowledge of the president to approach and hire staff and national team coaches in an effort to influence the trajectory of the teams. They made the decision to directly communicate with the then potential lead players (of the South Sudan Women’s National Team) to falsely share that the president does not intend to support the women’s team.”
The president further claimed that at one point, Angui had threatened to dismiss’ Coach Lindsey Harding from her current post as the Head Coach of the South Sudan Women’s National team without his knowledge.
“The SG continues to communicate instructions with top level FIBA officials without the knowledge of the President, which has caused concern on their part and can bring the whole Federation into international suspension both continentally and internationally.”
The suspension took effect on July 4, pending the findings of an Investigative Committee.
The committee will have 155 working days, beginning immediately, to submit their findings to the chairman of the committee, latest July 25.
