Himself an established player, Adim witnessed first-hand the deterioration in talent in the country due to lack of consistent support from the corporate industry in South Sudan, and swore to change his narrative

By Liam Josh

South Sudanese footballer and entrepreneur Adim Victor has challenged corporate companies in the country to give back to the community by supporting youth talent in sports.

Adim, himself an established football player, has witnessed first hand the deterioration in talent in the country due to lack of consistent support from the corporate industry in South Sudan.

He believes when such companies dedicate some small percentage of their proceeds to nurturing youth talent, it would improve the country’s sports potential. On the other hand, the companies will also market themselves through these players, and their respective clubs.

This is not just small business potential, but a huge investment opportunity for both the companies and the players- and it has been tried and tested globally.

The globally acclaimed European Premier League (EPL) has turned around the sports business, but making, what would otherwise been lost talent into very successful individuals. And it is not just in England, but across Europe, where, billions of dollars are spent in corporate sponsorships on football clubs and players in exchange for unimaginable returns to the sponsoring companies.

Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo, a player born from humble background and whose small talent got global attention and nurturing to become one of the richest sportspersons in the world. Many of such promising stories are common in football. Argentina’s Lionel Messi, Brazil’s Neymar Jr, France’s Kylian Mbappe are just to mention a few, who have earned fortunes from sports; and gave hope to millions of children from poor backgrounds.

This could also be done locally, in South Sudan.

Adim believes it is possible- and the relatively handful companies in the country can lend a hand to local sporting talent.

Adim Victor, the Kator FC star

Adim has grown in bits and bounds in the South Sudan football space, making his entry into the sport at Al-Amal Football Academy in Juba. While at the academy, the young footballer nurtured his talent through grit and determination, and was identified by Rainbow Football Club. At Rainbow, his star shined again.

 Few years later, he was spotted by Kator FC, a football club based in the capital Juba. He made a name for himself at the Juba-based Club, building a solid midfield at club.

However, while playing for Kator, Adim realized that he could not just rely on sports to foot all his demanding and largely expanding bills. Meanwhile, the inadequate support to sporting clubs, which deny most of the local players enough income to survive, made him more determined to eke a living in business.

Hence, Adim started a small printing shop. He would later supplement this with a money exchange business; with all these supplementary income-generating avenues, the young player was able to survive in the rough Juba economy.  

He named his business entities Adim Investment Company. Today, Adim juggles both football and business, and he is comfortable at his level. However, he still sees many gaps in corporate investment in sports, with only a few companies attending to the industry.

“I have managed to balance playing for Kator FC and run my business. I cannot stop playing, neither can I close my businesses. They go hand in hand. I supplement the two,” he said.

Speaking to The City Review Sports Desk, Adim said the hard lessons he learnt in his journey of growth in football, he has been inspired to support his ancient roots- the Al-Amal Football Academy. He gives back to the academy through sports equipment, buying balls among others, in effort to uplift the other young players being nurtured at the academy.

“Life was tough. At times we were forced to mobilize money from well-wishers to register for community tournaments. Not many were willing to spend, but we were dedicated in our quest to better our football skills, while also jumpstart the industry,” Adim said.

Along his journey, Adim has mastered skills in sports marketing. He has ventured into the world sponsoring team kits. And is also able to print players’ kits and jerseys. Through such avenues, he has managed to market his businesses, especially the printing business.

“I had planned to sponsor five teams; print their jerseys encrypted with their logos. This was to also help me market my business,” he told this reporter during a one-on-one interview at his office at a business complex at Hai Cinema.

Adim confirms that his current club, Kator FC, was the first to benefit from his sponsorship. In the deal, his intention was to plough back income to the club through the club’s jerseys sold to fans.

He believes the shirt sponsorship initiative, where players names are printed on the back of the jerseys, makes clubs look more presentable and professional. This is a move, he says, that will inspire corporate companies to follow suit.

The Kator FC footballer called on companies to give back to the community by strengthening their commitment to Corporate Social Responsibilty (CSR). His advocacy highlights the crucial role businesses can play in fostering the sports economy.

By investing in areas of sports, they will not only enhance their reputations and brands image but also contribute to the development and social well-being of athletes.

Adim’s call underscores the potential for collaboration between the corporate sector and football clubs to create lasting positive change. It serves as a reminder that businesses have the power to be a force for good, promoting sports for prosperity of football clubs.

Meanwhile, they can also strengthen and market their brands in such deals.

Utilities

“I have managed to balance playing for Kator FC and run my business. I cannot stop playing, neither can I close my businesses,” says Adim Victor, football player and businessman.