Africa-Press – South-Sudan. On Monday, the country’s governing football body, the South Sudan Football Association (SSFA), allocated up to $20,000 for the 2021/2022 South Sudan Cup winners.
Speaking at the draw for the South Sudan Cup 2021/2022, the SSFA organising committee chairperson, Wiyual Lampuoch, said they had come up with an edition of the tournament.
“What I wanted to add is that the SSFA, through its president, has approved $20,000 for the winners, which is a good initiative from the country’s federation,” Lampuoch stated. Meanwhile, the runners-up will go away with $7,000 and $3,000 for third and $1,000 fourth place, respectively.
The move was a very good decision taken by the leadership of the SSSFA, especially the president, to encourage the players to aim higher. This reward, besides winning the trophy, will make the clubs more committed and will also improve their well-being.
It is a big start that should be appreciated because it has never been there since the start of the leadership of the SSFA. Football is a profession just like others, where everybody who participates in it expects some handsome benefits from it.
To develop football in the country, we have to make it profitable for the people who participate in the profession. In most countries, sports, especially football, has become a lucrative activity that has led to the growth of football as many young people find it attractive.
Although we cannot compare ourselves with other countries in terms of the advancement of the game, it is important to note that they also started from scratch like us. The most significant thing is that we have to invest in sports to make the profession attractive to young people.
In most African countries and South Sudan in particular, the majority of parents are hesitant to permit their children to take sports as a profession because they find it not profitable. However, this is the opposite in Europe, where parents are willing to send their children to football academies just because they have realised their financial benefits.
Supporting the game
Therefore, to make sports interesting to young people in the country, there is a need to invest in them. We should stop considering sports as one of those charity activities where the participants gain nothing. It is one of the reasons why football has failed to develop in Africa because we expect the players to play for free, and also watch it for free. This perception needs to change if we want to develop football in the country.
Sports play a major role in society, apart from improving the economy of the country through taxes. Those who participate in it can also promote unity in society because it does not matter whether one is old or young; white or black.
It is a good initiative from the SSFA leadership to start rewarding the winning club in the competition with something besides the trophy to boost the commitment of the players. This idea needs to be supported because it is a positive step towards developing sports in the country.
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