The President of the South Sudan Boxing Federation, Tereza Athian, is appealing to the government and other sports partners to provide funding to strengthen the country’s boxing sports.
She said boxing is one of the popular activities that may influence the citizens, particularly the youth, to work together.
“Sports are crucial to the unification of our country. Some people believe boxing is violent, but this is not the case. It is not a bloody game. It is an activity, just like any other sport. [It is] is dynamic and many of our youth enjoy it,” Ms Athian said.
Ms Athian was speaking at the inaugural meeting of the boxing federation in Juba, which was attended by delegates from 10 states and three administrative areas.
The event was meant to discuss strategic plans for the federation on how they could collaborate and coordinate to accomplish the country’s boxing dream.
“I know a lot of people enjoy boxing, but as you can see, we are still in the early stages of developing a strong boxing federation in the region.
‘‘As fans and supporters, you are cordially welcome to join us in building a strong boxing federation in the region,’’ Athian.
“Our government, in particular, has a great role to play in developing this form of sport in the country because it brings youth together, and as a freshly born baby, our government needs huge support to help us stand tall,” she said.
The federation’s president pledged her support to the delegates and offered to work with all-local boxing federations across the country to make the sports competition happen soon.
“We are going to work together with all of you, including other sports federations, to promote a variety of sports games in the country because we believe sports are the only language that can bring South Sudanese together,” Athian added.
Athian also challenged her team to join hands and work for the growth of their bodies to push the country’s boxing sports into the spotlight.
She stated that while fans have high expectations of her, she must have high expectations of fans as well.
“The country has given us much, so it is time for us to also make our country known through such activities to bring the younger generation into the language of sports, which is free of discrimination and works for love and unity,” she stressed.
Many delegates expressed a lack of teamwork between the former administrations and the local federations, adding that it led to the downfall of boxing sports in the country.
According to the delegates, there were many talented and strong young boxers, but their talents were buried due to the lack of support from both the government and the mother federation.
They said the lack of training for both the boxers and the coaches has let down the participation of the country’s boxing players in many other regional and international tournaments.
They talked of lack of training facilities as one of the major challenges that have hindered the development of boxing sports in the country.
Ms. Athian was elected by the country’s boxing federation as president last month. She succeeds Solomon Deng and has now become the first woman to hold such a high position in the country’s sports organization.
It was the first time the boxing federation had held elections since its inception in 2012, following the ministry of sports authority’s appointment of outgoing president Solomon Deng.