The South Sudan national team, also known as the Bright Star, has found itself in a precarious situation in Libya, eerily similar to the experience of the Nigerian national team, the Super Eagles, in 2024.
The team has been stranded at the Benina International Airport in Benghazi, Libya, for hours without access to food or water.
A statement from the South Sudan Football Association disclosed that the team’s passports were seized by the Libyan Migration authority, and they were left to wait for hours without any representation from the Libyan Football Association.
“A footage of Bright Star stranded for staggering three hours at Benina International Airport, Benghazi Libya… The passports of the delegation were sized by the Libyan Migration authority,” the statement read.
This incident bears a striking resemblance to the ordeal faced by the Nigerian national team in 2024.
Persecondnews recalls that the Super Eagles were also left stranded in Libya, denied access to food and the internet, ahead of their Africa Cup of Nations qualifier.
The team’s Director of Communications, Ademola Olajire, had narrated the harrowing experience, revealing that the team was forced to land at a different airport due to “higher authorities'” instructions.
“It took diplomatic efforts and social media callouts for the team to be cleared to finally leave Libya,” Olajire had said.
The South Sudan team’s experience has raised serious concerns about the treatment of black African national teams in Libya.
However, in a positive turn of events, the team has now settled in and held their first training session ahead of their game against Sudan.
As the team prepares for their upcoming match, the incident has sparked outrage and calls for accountability.
The Libyan Football Association has yet to comment on the matter, leaving many to wonder if the country is equipped to host international football teams.
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