Paris 2024 Olympics: Anthem glitch disrupts South Sudan’s Games debut in men’s basketball

National anthem of South Sudan, which qualified for the Olympics for the first time last year, was abruptly cut off about 20 seconds into the playing of the recorded track.

A South Sudan fan stands during the playing of the national anthem before the Group C match of the Paris Olympics against Puerto Rico in Lille on Sunday. | Photo Credit: REUTERS

South Sudan’s Olympic debut in men’s basketball started with a glitch.

Prior to start of Sunday’s matchup against Puerto Rico, the national anthem of the African nation, which qualified for the Paris Games for the first time last year after emerging from civil war to become an independent nation in 2011, was abruptly cut off about 20 seconds into the playing of the recorded track.

The Sudanese players and their fans first stood confused, prompting fans of both teams inside Lille’s Pierre Mauroy Stadium to boo. They then started clapping as Sudan’s players stood in unison with their hands over their hearts watching for the issue to be reconciled.

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Puerto Rican players did the same in solidarity.

The audio track was restarted about three minutes later to an ovation from fans. When it concluded, South Sudan’s players embraced and prepared. for the opening tipoff.