SSBF leaders deny claims of suspension
South Sudan Basketball Federation (SSBF) Secretary-General Marier Anyuat Angui has dismissed claims that he has been suspended by the Federation of International Basketball Association (FIBA).
In recent weeks, there have been wrangles in South Sudan’s Basketball Federation as President Luol Deng and Mr. Anyuat continuously trade accusations.
In a press conference held in Juba on Tuesday, both Anyuat and Deng accused the SSBF President of running the federation as a lone ranger.
They said all the rumors circulating on social media about them were created by the president claiming that the SSBF leader had taken over all the responsibilities of other departments within the federation.
“I do not have any problem with my president Luol Deng, even I will never have a problem with him today or tomorrow. The only problem I have is that I am fighting for the constitution of the federation because it is the only thing that guides us on how to run the affairs of the federation,” he said.
According to Mr. Angui, he has the responsibility to question decisions made if they are irregular and not incoherent with the federation’s law.
“As a result, there are a lot of public opinions out there that, I, Marier Anyuat the SSBF Secretary-General, and Deng Biar Deng the Secretary of Finance are suspended and not liked by FIBA, that statement is false and wrong,” he stated.
“If any of that had happened, [it] would come in form of a written letter from my Ministry of Youth and Sports through the sport commissioner in my department addressed to me; so it is untrue,” he added.
“I am still the SG of the South Sudan Basketball Federation (SSBF) with brother Deng as finance secretary because if we have been suspended, we could not be here speaking before you,’’ he further said.
Mr. Biar, the Secretary of Finance, revealed that there have been big problems in the federation not only for the Secretary-General but also the entire federation.
He claimed that the President had failed to abide by the SSBF regulations and has as a result resorted to running the federation from outside the country.
“The functionality of all the departments within the federation is where the issue is from, I cannot be the Secretary of Finance when I do not have the records of what we spend,” he revealed.
He added that “Literally, my office is not functioning, despite Mr. Luol himself funding the national basketball team, but as the Secretary of Finance I need to put in the record as future accountability, even if it is his own money.”
However, he said they tried to engage many groups including the board council of the SSBF to solve the issue amicably but Mr. president turned down the calls by the board members.
However, in one of the press conferences conducted by President Deng upon their arrival in Juba from Rwanda, he said there had been misinformation with reports emerging that he was having a frosty relationship with the Secretary-General.
Luol denied having problems with the SG but instead accused him of having problems not raised with him.
“About the issue that I have problems with the secretary-general, it’s not true, and his group accusing me that I am running the federation as my family affairs are the statements that I did not expect,” the President stated.
“I advise people not take such statements to work with because if I am to pay much attention to such accusations, I could not waste my time spending my own money on what I am doing, I could be somewhere doing my own business.
“What I am doing, I do it for my country so I do not want to give my attention to such things that can keep us from moving forward,” Deng added.
