South Sudan
South Sudanese wheelchair basketball has been blessed with the arrival of a professional coach on Tuesday to coach players, train coaches, classifiers and referees.
American Jess Markt is visiting South Sudan at the invitation of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).
“We are excited that Jess will coach the South Sudan team. They are very motivated and we hope that this training will enable them to participate in international competitions in future,” Venkatakannan Packirisamy, ICRC Physical Rehabilitation Project manager in South Sudan said in a statement.
The ICRC and the South Sudan Wheelchair Basketball Association (SSWBA) organize weekly wheelchair basketball games to promote social inclusion for people with disabilities. They hope to expose them to the international stage.
Jess Markt has been coaching wheelchair basketball since 2009, and has trained teams in Afghanistan, India, Palestine, Cambodia and in his home state of Colorado.
He began playing wheelchair basketball at the age of 19 after suffering a spinal cord injury.
Photo Credit: VOA
01:57
Basketball tournament in Cotonou unites West African youth beyond borders
02:01
Sudan: RSF capture of Heglig threatens South Sudan's oil exports
00:59
IOC seeks to reintegrate Russia, Belarus into world sports despite ongoing war
01:41
Eritrean Biniam Girmay hired as lead cyclist for former Israeli team
01:01
South Sudan: Food security experts warn of worsening hunger crisis
00:46
Final preparations underway with 100 days to Winter Olympics in Milano-Cortina