Funding, empty chair, divisive reform… Between the French Basketball Federation and other authorities, a tense climate – Libération

The federation, which elects its new president this Saturday, December 14, no longer sits within the European body, while in France, relations with the clubs and the national league are not in good shape.

The French Basketball Federation (FFBB) is preparing to change era this Saturday, December 14, with the departure of its president, Jean-Pierre Siutat. At the head of the FFBB since 2010, the 65-year-old leader will leave his federation at the top of its sport. He will retire from sports governance once his mandate as first vice-president of the French National Olympic and Sports Committee ends in June 2025.

It is his faithful lieutenant, Jean-Pierre Huckler (also 65 years old), elected federally since 2004 and first vice-president, who should take over from him during the general assembly this Saturday. In the Dispatch, at the end of November, “JPS” explained “to have done [son] temps» and don't “no longer have ambition”. In May 2023, however, he was running for president of the European office of the International Basketball Federation (FIBA), of which he has been vice-president since 2019.

Threat of non-renewal of the contract

“Remounted”, according to the clubs, after his defeat against the Spaniard Jorge Garbajosa, Jean-Pierre Siutat requested the withdrawal of any French candidacy for the FIBA ​​Europe commissions, while France had six French representatives in 2019. Despite his absence in the European organization chart, the French Federation indicates that its services «collabo