Juba Stadium where renovation to improve the facility to world standards is taking place

Authorities in Jubek State and the national football governing body have agreed to expand Juba football stadium to enable creation of athletic tracks within the arena. 

Initially, Jubek state Ministry of Information, Youth, Culture and Sports suggested that the renovation include athletic tracks.

But the South Sudan Football Association rejected the idea, saying the area allotted for the stadium is too small to accommodate athletic tracks.

Besides, it said the renovation was designed by GS Construction Company without the tracks.

However, on Monday, the two institutions including GS, the company undertaking the construction held a meeting to resolve the matter.

“The reason we miss it out by then was that the space of the stadium is really very small to include the athletic tracks,” said Makur Majok a representative of the SSFA.

During the meeting, the parties agreed that the stadium be enlarged to leave space for establishment of  athletic facilities.

“Now the new suggestion is that we are going to close the road in the northern part of the stadium. I am sure 100% we will do it, and things now are going smoothly,” Makur said.

Germa Adluyo, the director of GS Company said they will only leave space, but not to develop the tracks.

“According to the initial agreement which is out in the concept design, the athletic track was not be catered for,” he said.

This is because it is not part of the funding by the world football governing body, FIFA.

“We are just a contractor, we are going just to leave that space… and when the football association gets money it will  put the track.”

For his part, Jubek Minister of Information, Youth, Culture and Sports, Engineer Juma Stephen said they  “expect that the new design that will come out will include the space for track.”

Engineer Stephen, who is also the president of the National Olympic Committee said the inclusion of the track is a national obligation.