Anthem glitch overshadows but does not hinder South Sudan's debut

South Sudan's Olympic debut in men's basketball began with a technical issue. However, this did not stop the team from creating history by securing the country's first Olympic triumph - a 90-79 victory against Puerto Rico on Sunday.

Before the game started, the incorrect national anthem was played for the African nation, which gained independence in 2011 after a period of civil war.

The anthem was abruptly stopped after just 20 seconds.

Eventually, the South Sudanese players switched to applause, standing in solidarity with hands over their hearts, while patiently awaiting the resolution of the situation.

Puerto Rican athletes showed their unity in a similar manner.

South Sudan coach Royal Ivey, an American, commented, "It's their national pride. South Sudan. 'Sud' means 'the land of the Black.' These players were eager to compete and hear their anthem."

"They made a mistake with the anthem, but they corrected it. We all make errors. I will definitely mention that in my feedback. But ultimately, these players are like brothers," he said.

The correct anthem was played after about three minutes, receiving applause from the audience. After it ended, South Sudan's team came together and readied themselves for the game.

South Sudan forward Nuni Omot, who scored 12 points, stated, "It motivated us even more. We felt disrespected by what happened. We still need to earn respect. So, we have to keep proving to the world what we can do. It was a reminder that some people still don't respect us."

The South Sudan team nearly defeated Team USA in a pre-Olympics exhibition, losing 101-100 due to a last-minute layup by LeBron James.