2023-07-06 01:30:39
They had kept silent. Preferring to debrief the situation coldly and with the main stakeholders before expressing themselves. Ten days after the end of the Women’s Euro in Slovenia, ended between disappointment and satisfaction with a bronze medal around his neck, Jean-Pierre Siutat, the president of the Basketball Federation (FFBB), Jean-Aimé Toupane, coach of the Bleues, Céline Dumerc, the manager, and Sandrine Gruda returned, this Wednesday at a press conference, to the various hot issues of the moment.
After specifying that he was “proud of this medal but if it is not the color hoped for”, the boss of the Federation quickly put an end to the false suspense by renewing his confidence and confirming “the staff for the Paris Games in 2024”. “There is absolutely no ambiguity on that,” assured Jean-Pierre Siutat.
The situation of Marine Johannès, whose non-selection had polluted the start of the Bleues campaign, was then discussed. Jean-Pierre Siutat, as he told us on May 25, recalled that the players had been informed from 2022 and then again during the international window in February 2023 of “the obligation to be present at the start of the preparation” to participate in the Euro. A condition that the Asvel player who had decided, on her own, to go to New York to sign her contract with the local WNBA franchise did not fulfill. A team in which the Frenchie multiplies the performances and where she was renamed the “magician”.
“All the controversy that was triggered behind is a bit harmful and uncomfortable because everyone was aware,” confirmed Céline Dumerc. The GM of Les Bleues also indicated that she had “learned with Aimé only 2 or 3 days” before the start of the preparation that Johannès could not be present. “We were trapped,” she says. “The extent of the controversy shocked me,” she continues. Yes it’s a touchy subject and there were errors (of communication) on both sides but we had to make choices…”
A choice “assumed” by Toupane. “It was important to be there at the start, we had 3 weeks and 12 training sessions to prepare, explains the coach. The high level requires time together. The situation was known to everyone. Despite everything, Marine made the decision to leave. I had him for 40 minutes to tell him to come with us, we had to call back in the evening…we didn’t call back. She made the decision to go there, I respect her but my position is to think of the other girls. No player is essential but all are important. We’re not against Marine, but my concern is above all the France team and I’m proud of what the players showed at the Euro, it came down to one possession (63-67 in semi-final against Belgium). »
The absence of Johannès at the Euro, however, does not call into question his selection for the next Games. “The whole group is eligible”, assures Jean-Pierre Siutat who also specifies that “if she chooses to leave for the WNBA she will deviate from it. The message is clear: any player who decides to join the American championship next spring will not be able to claim a place for Paris 2024.
“We want the best team to get something at the Games, continues Céline Dumerc. I loved seeing this group live (at the Euros), I found a lot of strengths beyond basketball quality. I want us to come running in the France team. The France team is above the individual. »
After winning bronze at the Tokyo Games in 2021, Les Bleues will aim to win a new Olympic charm and enrich their collection with a third medal with the silver one brought back from the London Olympics in 2012. engages in a competition the objective is to go on the podium, announces Toupane. We hope for the best even if there is the United States and strong competition. “I dream of a medal,” added Siutat. We will see that they will be the 12 players selected, what will be the table (after the qualifications) and if we can go to the end. We are preparing a legacy so that young people choose basketball over another sport. »
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