CAIRO (Egypt) - Ivorian referee Nadege Anaize Zouzou is excited to return to the court for the first time since giving birth last year as she prepares for the FIBA U18 African Women's Championship that starts on December 5-9. 

Zouzou, whose last international competition was the FIBA Africa Women's Clubs Championship in November 2017, would like to use her experience to inspire other women to stay in action and balance their careers with family life. 

Zouzou at the Rio 2016 Olympics in Brazil

Speaking to FIBA.basketball, Zouzou said, "I am very happy to be back on the court at an international level even though it is difficult because I have to take time to be with the baby and to prepare physically but I love a good challenge."

"It is really important to come back after giving birth. At times in the career of a woman, she has to take some time off to give birth and for me it does not mean that I should stop my career as a referee so I did everything to come back physically and mentally and I am so glad to be back."

 Zouzou with colleagues at the FIBA Women's AfroBasket 2015 in Cameroon

Very calm and collected, Zouzou who turns 28 in exactly two weeks, maintains that it is also very important to her that she is able to represent her country at this stage.

This is, however, not the first time that she is representing her nation at the international level. Zouzou played for Cote d'Ivoire at this same tournament back in 2008 and as a former player, she understands what it means to be here. 

The following year, she decided to go into officiating and made her debut as a referee in the national league in Cote d'Ivoire. A natural go-getter, she set her eyes on the big tournaments and in 2010 after attaining the prestigious FIBA international referee status, she knew that nothing would stop her. 

Zouzou has officiated at big international events with the Rio 2016 Olympics being one of her biggest highlights of her officiating career. She is excited about the future and hopes that her story will inspire more women to follow her footsteps. 

FIBA