S. Sudan becomes newest Olympic committee member

But the meeting that was officially deemed the 128th IOC Session in Kuala Lumpur also discussed one major issue that the Committee that has circulating for years, the Olympic Channel.

South Sudan has seven national sporting federations – athletics, basketball, soccer, handball, table tennis, taekwondo and judo.

The country has been gripped by civil war for 19 months and the conditions have made it virtually impossible for athletes to train properly. “Most of the children now have joined the armed groups”. Now an Olympics Channel would not replace its rightsholders such as NBC, CBC, BBC, Discovery and others, but the Committee hopes it would enhance them by airing or streaming Olympic sports in off years. Guor ran in the 2012 London games under the Olympic flag because South Sudan was not yet recognized by the IOC and he declined to run for Sudan.

“We can bring unity and the sport we have initiated across the country can unite all 64 tribes and all 10 states” in the divided nation, Marial said.

He can make amends in Rio as he is part of the four-member team, Kuoirot said.

South Sudan will rely on worldwide aid to build up its sports infrastructure.

President Bach said: “With this approval, all of us convey a sign of desire to this early the world of South Sudan; a symbol of trust because exercise develops connects between mankind and cultures”.

“We look forward to welcoming you to the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro where for the first time in your history, you will march behind your national flag”, Bach added.

Things have changed and in order to protect the precious brand the IOC is going to have to embrace a vertiginous learning curve and get ready to take the Olympic Channel into the most cutting edge technology available to meet the youth demand.