Controversial Foul Discrepancy Mars South Sudan's Olympic Basketball Run

South Sudan's coach and basketball federation president accused referees of bias after a 96-85 loss to Serbia, citing a significant foul discrepancy. Despite their efforts, South Sudan's Olympic journey ended, highlighting the lack of African referees in major international tournaments. Serbia advanced to the quarterfinals.

South Sudan's coach and basketball federation president are calling out referee bias following their team's 96-85 defeat to Serbia on Saturday. This loss concluded South Sudan's remarkable run as the lone African team in the men's basketball tournament at the Paris Olympics.

Bogdan Bogdanovic scored 28 points, pushing Serbia into next week's quarterfinals. Coach Royal Ivey and federation president Luol Deng pointed to a stark foul discrepancy as evidence of referee partiality. South Sudan attempted only six free throws compared to Serbia's 31, a disparity Ivey labeled a 'travesty.'

Deng criticized the absence of African referees in major international competitions, urging for greater representation. This defeat also granted Greece the final wild card for the knockout round due to a better point differential. Despite the loss, South Sudan's debut highlighted their competitive spirit and raised questions about fairness in officiating.