Let’s go for the Olympic campaign of the French women’s basketball team. Jean-Aimé Toupane communicated this Thursday a list of 18 players. Already deprived of a leader in the person of Alix Duchet (Bourges) who, for “personal reasons”, declined the selection, Toupane made a strong choice by depriving herself of the best French scorer of all time: Sandrine Gruda.
His non-selection, even in an expanded list, turns the page on the generation of “Braqueuses” who returned from London twelve years ago with a silver medal. “She is an exceptional player, she wore the jersey with a lot of commitment. I met her, we talked. I made this choice based on performance, not the individual,” explained Jean-Aimé Toupane.
The group will meet on June 6 at Insep for two days of medical tests before heading to Anglet for an internship of around ten days. Les Bleues will play their first preparation match on July 29 in Mouilleron-le-Captif (Vendée) against Finland. They will stay near La Roche-sur-Yon for a revenge against the same Finns two days later. On July 12, like the boys, they will play at the LDLC Arena in Décines on July 12 against Serbia before challenging Japan on July 19 and China on July 21, both times in Reims. The first match of the Olympic tournament will take place at the Pierre-Mauroy stadium on July 29 against Canada.
Leaders-backs: Marine Fauthoux (Asvel), Carla Leite (Tarbes), Sarah Michel-Boury (Bourges), Leila Lacan (Angers), Romane Bernies (Lattes Montpellier), Pauline Astier (Bourges), Marie Pardon (Tarbes)
Wingers: Valériane Ayayi (Prague), Marine Johannès (Asvel), Gabby Williams (Asvel), Alexia Chery (Asvel), Marie-Paule Foppossi (Tarbes), Pauline Astier (Bourges), Mamignan Touré (Lattes Montpellier)
Interior: Dominique Malonga (Tarbes), Iliana Rupert (Bologne), Marième Badiane (Lattes Montpellier), Janelle Salaün (Villeneuve-d’Ascq), Ana Tadic (Miskolc)
