By: Emmanuel Patrick Laku | Sports Hunter South Sudan | Investigation
Juba, South Sudan - A former South Sudan national-team goalkeeper coach, Mohammed Seifeldin Both Diu, is seeking US$15,900 in alleged outstanding payments for work he says he performed with four national teams between January 2022 and April 2026.
The claim concerns his reported involvement with the senior men's national team, senior women's national team, women's Under-20 team and women's Under-17 team.
In a written appeal addressed to South Sudan Football Federation (SSFF) President Francis Amin, Both Diu said he had repeatedly sought payment and had sent official correspondence to the federation since February without receiving a formal response.
He described the appeal as a final attempt to resolve the matter through the federation after, according to his account, earlier efforts had not produced a settlement.
What the written agreement says
Sports Hunter South Sudan has reviewed a written coaching agreement dated 1 January 2022 between Both Diu and the South Sudan Football Association (SSFA), the name used by the governing body at the time.
The document identifies Both Diu as a goalkeeper coach assigned to the senior men's national team. It specifies a monthly salary of US$700, in addition to match allowances in accordance with the association's policies.
The agreement sets out a contractual period beginning in January 2022 and running through June 2024, with renewal subject to mutual agreement.
However, the document reviewed by Sports Hunter does not, on its own, establish the full US$15,900 claim or cover the entire period up to April 2026.
Both Diu says he also worked with the other national teams under additional verbal arrangements. Those assignments and the terms attached to them would need to be assessed separately when determining the amount, if any, outstanding.
At the coach's request, Sports Hunter is not publishing or circulating the agreement.
Former officials describe his national-team work
A source with direct knowledge of the federation's previous administration confirmed that Both Diu had worked with national teams, particularly the women's sides.
The source said he had been involved during the periods when coaches Shylin and Sidi Mohammed were in charge and had also accompanied the senior men's team for approximately two matches.
“The guy worked with us and he was mostly working with the ladies' national team since the time of coach Shylin. After Shylin, he worked with Sidi Mohammed, and there was a time he was taken with the senior men's national team for about two matches,” the source said.
The source also described the introduction of written agreements for coaches, saying the intention was to provide a basis for them to claim their entitlements.
“I was the one who suggested to the federation that even if there is no money, let us give contracts to all the coaches. Then, if we are no longer in the federation, they can claim their rights. That was my suggestion to the head of national teams committee, and then we implemented it,” the source said.
On payments, the source said some outstanding amounts had been paid, although not in full.
“There was a time we paid all the coaches. We didn't pay all the money, but we paid part of the outstanding payments,” the source said.
The source added that outstanding payments had been included in documents handed over to the incoming administration.
“All the outstanding payments are in the handing-over documents that we gave to the new administration. All those things are documented, and they are there with details,” the source said.
The source attributed the payment difficulties partly to limited financial resources and the costs associated with national-team travel.
A second account points to tournament-based contracts
Another source familiar with the association's national-team operations said that, during their time in the committee, they developed rules and regulations intended to organise its work and protect the rights of players and coaches.
“When I came to the committee, I didn't get any single document that organised the work of the committee. That's why I made the national teams' rules and regulations to organise the work and protect the rights of the players and the coaches,” the source said.
The source described coaching agreements as being linked to particular tournaments and generally lasting three months.
“The issue of the contract is specific tournament contracts. We give any coach a three-month contract for the specific tournaments only,” the source said.
The source also said coaches received incentives or bonuses during national-team travel, depending on the category of the team, and claimed that the previous administration paid coaches half of their wages during its time.
“We paid them half of their wages during our time,” the source said.
The source said relevant records were included in the handover to the incoming administration.
These accounts provide additional context about coaching arrangements and payments under the previous administration. They do not, by themselves, establish the precise amount owed to Both Diu. The relevant contracts, payment records and handover documents would be necessary to verify the outstanding balance.
Current federation says discussions are ongoing
SSFF Secretary General Bak Athian acknowledged that Both Diu had worked with national teams but said the claim related to a period before he assumed his current responsibilities.
Asked about the demand, Athian said the coach was best placed to explain the details of his claim.
“He will be the one to explain to you because he is the one demanding. He will be the one to give you details because it is him who knows,” Athian said.
Athian declined to discuss specific contractual details, citing confidentiality and professional ethics.
“Those are administrative issues. Since he decided to reach out to the media, he is supposed to be the one to give you all the details,” he said.
He nevertheless confirmed that the federation was engaging with the coach to establish which payments, if any, were due.
“What I can tell you is that we are still in discussions with him to find out what is his right and what is not his right,” Athian said.
His comments indicate that the matter remains under discussion and that the federation has not publicly confirmed the US$15,900 figure.
Questions remain over the outstanding amount
The central issue is whether the coach's assignments, contractual arrangements and payment records support the full amount he is claiming.
The written agreement reviewed by Sports Hunter establishes a monthly salary for his senior men's team appointment through June 2024. The additional assignments he describes, the alleged verbal arrangements, any tournament-specific contracts and payments already made will all be relevant to determining the final balance.
The accounts from two sources familiar with the previous administration suggest that coaching payments and outstanding obligations were discussed and recorded during the transition. The current federation, however, says it is still checking the claim with the coach.
Sports Hunter South Sudan will continue to seek clarification on the relevant payment records and the status of the handover documentation.
The federation and any other parties mentioned in this report may provide further information or a response, which Sports Hunter South Sudan is prepared to consider and publish where appropriate.
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