Former Senegal women National team coach Diop passed away

DAKAR – Ousseynou Ndiaga Diop, the former coach of Senegal Women National Team and a member of the FIBA Coaching Council, passed away on 20 December in the Senegalese capital city of Dakar at the age of 66.

Diop served as assistant coach of the Senegalese side Jeanne d’Arc of Dakar from 1981 - 1987, before taking the helms of SEIB of Diourbel in 1988, a club with which he claimed several Senegal League titles.

But it was with the women’s senior team that Diop built his notoriety.

Appointed as head-coach of the ‘‘Lionesses’’ in 1998, he claimed two FIBA AfroBasket Women titles in 1999 (Johannesburg) and in 2000(Tunis) respectively.

He also led the team to the FIBA World Championships in 1998(Germany) and 2002(China). Diop also featured at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney and was appointed assistant coach of Senegal’s men team in 2003.

Diop who contributed to the training of several athletes with the Senegalese served as Technical Director of Senegal from 2008 - 2010.

After a 4-year break, Diop joined the Senegalese Basketball Standardization Committee, which had been tasked with restructuring the Senegalese Basketball Federation(FSBB) and organising elections to set up a new executive board.

He then joined the FIBA Africa Coaching Council and participated in several workshops on the training programme of African tacticians.

FIBA