Sport in South Sudan

Sports in South Sudan are still not widely recognized internationally.

South Sudan-born basketball player Luol Deng.

Many traditional and modern games and sports are popular in South Sudan, particularly wrestling and mock battles. The traditional sports were mainly played after the harvest seasons to celebrate the harvests and finish the farming seasons. During the matches, they smeared themselves with ochre – perhaps to enhance the grip or heighten their perception. The matches attracted large numbers of spectators who sang, played drums and danced in support of their favourite wrestlers. Though these were perceived as competition, they were primarily for entertainment.[1]

  1. ^ DiPiazza, Francesca (2006). Sudan in Pictures. 21st-century Books. p. 54. ISBN 0-8225-2678-6.