Fact-check: The South Sudan Football Association Director of Finance hasn’t resigned

In a press release, the South Sudan Football Association (SSFA) leadership has refuted claims that its Finance Director, Mobutu Isaac, has resigned.

Writer: Kei Emmanuel Duku

A Facebook post widely shared on various social media platforms claiming Mobutu Isaac, SSFA Finance Director, has resigned is false, according to the South Sudan Football Governing Body, SSFA.

Posted on September 27, 2023, it claimed that Mobuto Isaac had resigned, citing reasons of financial mismanagement by the current leadership of the South Sudan Football Association.

The claim was posted in Arabic, but with the help of Google Translate, “The mismanaged money amounted to USD 500,000. The African Football Governing CAF sent the money and another $1,600,000 from FIFA.”

The claim further stated that Mobutu Isaac was one of many staff members said to have resigned from the association in addition to Konga- Konga, the receptionist, John Lodu- the board member, and another unnamed staff member holding the docket of photographer within SSFA are said to have resigned at the start of the year, because of nonpayment of their salary arrears for the last two years. 

It’s worth noting that SSFA receives funding from FIFA, CAF, and the government and funds from other cooperating institutions that support the various national teams.  

Claim Verification:

In a letter dated September 28, 2023, written by Victor Lawrence Lual, the association’s General Secretary denied the claim about any mismanagement of cash from FIFA, CAF, and other organisations, saying the claims were fake. 

“We would like to thank FIFA, CAF, the Government of South Sudan, and other well-wishers for their generous and continuous support of SSFA. The amount mentioned in the article published and circulated on social media is incorrect,” reads part of the statement in part.

211 Check also contacted SSFA’s finance director, who said he is on leave and has not resigned.

SSFA acknowledged receiving money from the Government of South Sudan amounting to 400,000,000 SSP, as indicated in the claim; however, it denied saying the money was meant for the U-20 National Team in their recent triumph in the U-20 competition held in Sudan and Egypt. 

But is SSFA Receiving funds from FIFA and CAF? 

Despite SSFA not revealing how much they are getting from CAF and FIFA, 211 Check conducted desktop research to determine how much every Member Association affiliated with FIFA and CAF receives. Our finding indicates that the Federation of Uganda Football Association, a South Sudan neighbour in 2020, received $500,000 as an annual grant from FIFA, which was paid to 210 of all Member Associations (MA) registered with FIFA, including SSFA, as a way of recovering funds from COVID-19 as reported by Eye Radio. 

Apart from the COVID-19 grants, every member association receives money from FIFA. 

Other grants from CAF to all the  MA are sent quarterly  $500,000 from FIFA, amounting to $1 million. This money is intended to fund activities of the respective associations, including the payment of salaries to staff, and another part of it goes to the local football governing association in every country, as explained by FUFA Communications Director Ahmed Hussein. 

However, the letter issued by SSFA stated that much of the money received from FIFA and CAF was used for funding national teams. Yet, national teams are solely the responsibility of the government through the Ministry of Sports as it hires and pays for the national team coach—a company paid for the current South Sudan National Team head coach position. Again, SSFA claimed in their press release that they spend some money on infrastructure, yet the ongoing construction work at Juba Stadium is solely funded by FIFA. 

Therefore, it remains to be seen what infrastructural development the association is currently undertaking, as claimed in the press release issued by the office. 

It is not only FIFA that sends money to its MA, but also CAF President Dr Patrice Motsepe, who, while on his tour to Uganda, reaffirmed his commitment to increasing funding for member associations. This is to help with administrative costs.  

History of mismanagement of FIFA and CAF funds within the SSFA 

In 2016, through its adjudicatory chamber of the independent ethics committee, FIFA found Mr Chabour Goc Alei, former president of the SSFA, guilty of having misappropriated FIFA funds, which led to his suspension from related football activities.  

Suppose this claim posted on SSD Sport’s timeline is to attract investigation by FIFA and other audit firms. In that case, it is because of the similarity it shares with the previous claims of 2016 because, before investigations by FIFA in 2016, Tobby William Okot, former Secretary General of SSFA, and his deputy resigned following allegations of mismanagement of funds from FIFA. 

Secondly, the claims also have something in common regarding the amount of money said to have been mismanaged in 2016, which is the exact figure of $500,000 from FIFA. 

Conclusion: 

211 Check finds the claim that the South Sudan Football Association’s Finance Director has resigned false. A press release from the football governing body dismissed the claim.

A publication under 211 Check’s ‘Fact-check for a pay’ Initiative with Support from the International Fact-checking Network through the BUILD grant.

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