South Sudan suspends marathoner who was its symbol

The latest chapter of a previously heartwarming story has turned into a confusing and contentious dispute.

Now the International Olympic Committee is trying to help resolve the clash that has led the South Sudan track and field federation to suspend the marathoner, Guor Maker, who was a living symbol of the newly independent country at the 2012 Olympics.

The problem involves jurisdiction over an IOC Olympic Solidarity scholarship to fund Maker’s current training in Kenya.

"We are currently in discussion with the concerned parties in order to understand what exactly the problem is and what actions need to be taken – if any - to reach a solution that works for all,” IOC spokesman Mark Adams said in a Wednesday email to the Tribune.

The athlete, who changed his name from Guor Marial to Guor Mading Maker after becoming a U.S. citizen on Feb. 22, 2013, ran into problems with the South Sudan Athletics (track and field) Federation when it was asked to verify his membership in the process of applying for the IOC scholarship.

In an email, Maker said the issue was the South Sudan federation did not want him to receive the money directly from the IOC and insisted the funds must first pass through the federation.

Kamal John, secretary general of the South Sudan Athletics Federation, said via telephone Wednesday the federation had asked only that all future funding requests involving Maker or other South Sudan athletes go through the national federation rather than being made directly to the IOC or other organizations.

Maker said he had sought the IOC funding after South Sudan told him it had no money for him.

"Mr. Guor is one of our heroes and an athlete we are trying to take care of," John said.

The IOC had allowed Maker, a refugee from the civil war in the Sudan, to compete in London as an "Individual Olympic Athlete" under the Olympic flag following a Tribune story that made the case for such a decision.  He finished 47^th in the Olympic marathon.

"I will be carrying South Sudan and its flag in my heart," Maker said via telephone from his home in Arizona after he learned of the IOC decision.  "All South Sudan will see me, and it will give my country hope in the world community."

At the time, the year-old Republic of South Sudan had yet to form a national Olympic committee or national federations in Olympic sports.  A country must have a recognized NOC to show its flag at the Olympics.

A South Sudan Olympic committee is yet to be recognized by the IOC.  The international track federation (IAAF) granted provisional membership to the South Sudan Athletics Federation last November, and it is expected to become a full IAAF member this August.

John sent Maker an email Monday informing him of the suspension and ordering him to “report to South Sudan within 72 hours from now" to speak with the federation's ethics committee.  The brief email, provided to the Tribune by Maker, concluded, “Failure to report to South Sudan will be followed with more restrictions.”

In a video interview with media in South Sudan, John said Maker had sent him a text message with "very bad words," accusing the federation of wanting to “take the funds for its personal interests.”

John reiterated those comments via telephone and said he would forward a copy of the offending text message immediately.  It has not yet been received.

In a Wednesday email asking about the accusations, Maker denied ever saying such things.

Maker referred to his Monday email to the South Sudan federation in which he asked John to "clarify the reason of my suspension to the IOC and the IAAF and the people of South Sudan."  In that email, Maker said he would not go to the South Sudan until either the IOC or IAAF explained to him the reason for the suspension.

Injuries have hampered Maker, 30, a graduate of Iowa State University, since the London Summer Games.  He finished 34th at the 2013 New York Marathon and could not finish the 2014 Frankfurt, Germany Marathon.

He hopes to compete for South Sudan at the 2016 Olympics.  

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References

1. ^{^} lRelated (chicagotribune.feedsportal.com)
2. ^{^} Sports (chicagotribune.feedsportal.com)
3. ^{^} The Guor Marial story (chicagotribune.feedsportal.com)
4. ^{^} See all related (chicagotribune.feedsportal.com)
5. ^{^} Chicago Tribune (www.chicagotribune.com)