We can call it a fiasco. The French Basketball Women’s Team bowed (54-69) this Sunday, June 29 in Greece during the small final of the Euro against Italy. For the first time since 2007 (nine editions), the Bleues leave from the Women’s Eurobasket without a medal.
If the competition ends this Sunday, June 29, evening with a final between Belgium and Spain, that of the French, has actually stopped on Friday, at half-final of the semi-final against the Spanish. While the Bleues led ten points in a meeting that they seemed to have in hand, the players of Jean-Aimé Toupane suddenly disappeared. They became ghostly in attack, no longer returned a shoot, and bowed nothing (64-65).
The French posted the same face this Sunday afternoon for bronze: they returned only three of their 20 three-point attempts and each marked basket seemed to be a small miracle. Operations assessment: 54 small points registered only, including only 18 in the second half. Impossible to win a match while being as clumsy in a sport that is essentially based on the address. There was however no ogre opposite: Italy had not set up on the podium of a euro since 1995. It also has no qualification for the Olympic Games or the World Cups in the 21st century.
Already very criticized since taking office in 2021 despite a silver medal at the Paris Olympics, Jean-Aimé Toupane could have lost his post this Sunday. Among the supporters of the Blue, many call for his resignation. The coach will always be able to defend himself by invoking the many tricolors who have skipped competition to focus on their club season in the United States (Marine Johannes, Gabby Williams, Dominique Malonga in particular). The truth is that even deprived of its stars, this French team could do much better than a bland fourth place. The Blue has not won a title for sixteen years and a coronation in Latvia.
