SUDAN NEWS ALERT: AFP – Sudan footballers hope for revolution boost

29/7/19: AFP – Sudan footballers hope for revolution boost

 AFP’s feature piece covers the problems within Sudanese football, mainly attributing them to official neglect under Omar Al Bashir’s regime.

 AFP note the absence of competitive youth leagues in Sudan, poorly maintained pitches which cause regular career-ending injuries, the lack of equipment or training facilities.

 Monzer Hassan, a youth team coach, said that the “complete lack of football academies deprives these talented players from honing their skills.”

 Nonetheless, young footballer Emad Salim and Vice-President of the Sudanese Football Association Al Fatih Bani expressed hope that the uprising will bring a boost to football.

 Bani said that matches are “disorganised,” players lack training or management, and the 30 well-maintained pitches in Sudan are all privately owned and only open to elites.

 “Bashir’s regime hurt the sport immensely,” said Mohamed Harun, an Al-Hilal board member, adding that “his Islamic regime considered football a tribal activity that did not deserve support or investment.”