FRA - Bergeaud quits France post (+ video)

PARIS (National Team) - Claude Bergeaud on Tuesday stepped down as the coach of France's national team.

Bergeaud's position has been under scrutiny since Les Bleus' poor showing at this year's EuroBasket, where they finished a disappointing eighth.

That meant they missed out on a place in the FIBA Olympic Qualifier tournament ahead of the 2008 Beijing Games.

A committee comprising some of the leading names in French basketball has since been set up to look at the state of the France team, and give its assessment on how it should proceed.

But Bergeaud has chosen not to wait for their recommendations and has quit, claiming the political situation around his role made it untenable.

He wrote in a letter released on Tuesday and transmitted on www.lequipe.fr: "A very hostile climate has developed around the project that I have been asked to lead.

"The necessary conditions that are required for results to be obtained are unfortunately no longer there to follow.

"As a consequence, out of concern for the interest of our sport, I have taken the decision not to continue my mission as coach of the France team."

Bergeaud, the former coach of French club giants Pau-Orthez, was appointed as national-team boss after EuroBasket 2003.

He led Les Bleus to a third-placed finish at EuroBasket 2005, while they ended the 2006 FIBA World Championship in an impressive fifth place.

However, despite having a strong squad at his disposal, Bergeaud could not get the best out of his players in EuroBasket 2007 in Spain.

The eighth-placed finish brought an expected backlash and spelt the end of his tenure.

The likes of Ronny Turiaf and Florent Pietrus have come out in support of Bergeaud in the last few weeks.

But it appears Bergeaud felt he did not have support from the powers that be.

"I hope that the next coach will find a political environment that is more favourable to the accomplishment of the goals that have been set," he added in his letter.

"Since (the end of the EuroBasket), a commission which I am not part of has been set up. I don't have any information as to what is being said there.

"Furthermore, I haven't been asked to bring as evidence the experience I have built up for four years as the coach.

"I deduce from that, therefore, that my opinion matters little in the analysis."

The findings of the committee set up by the French Basketball Federation (FFBB) should be made known within the next month. A successor will then be appointed.

A statement on www.francebasket.com, the website of the FFBB, says its president, Yvan Mainini, will name a replacement for Bergeaud before February 16 next year.

That is the date of the draw for the qualification matches for EuroBasket 2009.

France failde to qualify for the FIBA Olympic Qualifier tournament after loosing a very close game against Slovenia

Steve Douglas
FIBA