INTERVIEW. Basketball: “I have served my time, I no longer have ambition”… The confidences of Jean-Pierre Siutat before leaving the presidency of the FFBB

What do you remember from these 14 years of presidency?

I started 28 years ago within the federation, in 1996, with a European junior championship organized in Auch, Lourdes and Tarbes. I took over as president in 2010, so that’s 28 years of service to federal basketball. What I remember, as a professional engineer, is having built. Between 5×5 and 3×3, the different French teams have collected more than 120 medals on the international scene since 2010. That's for performance, with good progress. The three (silver) medals obtained at the Games demonstrate that we are not very far from the United States, the top of the world level. And in the field of development, the FFBB has almost gained 300,000 additional licensees (from 460,000 to 766,000, source FFBB). It's the 4th^e sport in France, behind football, tennis and horse riding. These are things to credit the teams with.

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At the next elective general meeting, on December 14, there is little doubt that your right-hand man Jean-Pierre Huckler will take over from you, why is there not, in basketball, a real debate as there is? could you see it in rugby?

The FFBB, since 1992, has been relatively stable, initially with Yvan Manini, who was a very great president. I think I also left my mark on French basketball for fourteen years. There are always dissatisfied people, and that is completely normal, but there is a stability in this federation which is due to the working atmosphere, to the self-sacrifice of the management team which, I hope , will continue to do things this way. The law of March 2022 requires direct voting by clubs, there are elections, they must be respected.

Compared to other federations, basketball is relatively controversial, how do you explain it?

We try to do a good job, like in many federations. We often highlight, here and there, a few cases in other federations but that does not mean that the entire federal sports system does not work. I remain very, very humble on this subject. The media aspect also comes into play: as soon as something happens in football, for example, there is a huge echo chamber.

“Starting a new cycle”

In fourteen years, you have still benefited from some great basketball leaders: Céline Dumerc, Isabelle Yacoubou, Tony Parker and now Victor Wembanyama…

As part of our performance mission, we must be on international podiums. It’s clear that to have girls, guys, mobilizing for the blue jersey, it’s just great. And the federal job is to provide an optimal framework so that these people can perform. A federation is a whole. On Victor, it's the future, but he won't be the only one when you see the Risachers and others who are arriving… And for girls too, we normally have a few good years ahead of us.

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The success of French basketball is also the number of French players in the NBA (15 at the start of the season), right?

These are above all personal satisfactions for the players concerned. Above all, what we would like is for them to be able to join the national team more easily. Yes, the NBA is good. But we would like to have the players more available, which is not systematically the case. Every year, we have to look into the subject. Qualifications for international competitions are done without NBA players. Fortunately we have a reservoir, a depth, which allows us to win matches. But imagine the same situation in football, it would be inconceivable whereas for us, it is normal.

When leaving the stage, Vincent Collet also retired and it is now Frédéric Fauthoux who has taken over, why this choice?

Vincent has had an exceptional career, and it was necessary to start a new cycle with a younger generation. The choice fell on Frédéric Fauthoux, we hope he succeeds. He has a European Championship to prepare for this summer. That Vincent and I left at the same time is not at all coordinated, it's pure coincidence. What is good is that there is continuity in the staff work since Boris Diaw remains general manager.

“The reconversion of Boris Diaw and Céline Dumerc, a success”

Boris Diaw for the boys, Céline Dumerc in the same position for the girls, the elders are getting involved…

That's what's good about these two champions, is that they have taken the measure of the functions. Having been a great player is one thing, managing a French team is another and I find that their reconversions are real successes.

Will we one day know a little more about the nature of your clash with Evan Fournier during the last Games, when you expressed your shame about the Blues' play after a very sluggish start to the tournament?

I have no comment to make on the subject, as I have already said. Who cares, we have to move on.

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What is next for you, after the federation?

I've finished, I've done my time, I still have six months left at the CNOSF (of which he is vice-president, Editor's note) and I'm going to leave my place. I no longer have any ambition anywhere. Everything is going very well for me. In 2020, I said that I would stop in 2024. I am preparing someone in the hope that they will take charge of the federation. To do a good job, you have to be able to anticipate, the tiling, the transmission, it's just as important as the action in my eyes.