FRA - Siutat elected to French Federation presidency

PARIS (FFBB) – Jean-Pierre Siutat on Saturday was elected as the new president of the French Basketball Federation (FFBB) at an Exceptional General Assembly in the French capital.

Siutat took 88.6% of the vote to become the federation’s 13th president, succeeding recently-elected FIBA President Yvan Mainini.

“I am delighted that Jean-Pierre Siutat is the new FFBB president,” said Mainini. “He has all the qualities required to accomplish great things.

“After my 18 years as president, I believe that he will offer a new dimension to the French Federation. He has held a number of different positions within French basketball and keeps a very close eye on what happens on the court. He has stayed close to players who are on the national teams (Men and Women).

“As first Vice-President he assisted me in bringing a new working structure. He is a great manager and more importantly he doesn’t try to be anyone other than himself,” he added.

“I am also very happy to see that Jean-Pierre will be involved on an international level (as member of FIBA Europe’s Board and as a member of FIBA’s Competition Commission) and spreading the word that France is ambitious to host future competitions.”

FIBA Secretary General and member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Patrick Baumann joined Mainini in congratulating Siutat.

“We congratulate Mr Siutat for his election. I have personally been witnessing his brilliant election and I have known him for many years,” he said.

“In his function, he organised several top FIBA events including the EuroBasket and he has a lot of new and innovative ideas. I look forward to working with him.”

Siutat’s presidency will be for two years as he takes over from Mainini, who was halfway into his fifth term before leaving the FFBB to take up his role in basketball’s international governing body.

“This is a memorable moment and I want to thank the French Federation’s Committee of Directors and the General Assembly for the confidence they have shown in me,” said the new FFBB president.

“My first thoughts go to Yvan Mainini and his team who leave the FFBB in a very good state. It is a tough task to take over from him, but I will do my utmost in my time in office.”

Siutat co-founded French women’s side Tarbes in 1983 and, as the club’s head coach and later president, helped them to great success in national cup and league competitions while also seeing them grow as a European powerhouse.

From 2001 to 2009, he reinvigorated the fortunes of the French Women’s League (LFB).

Mainini named Siutat as his Vice-President in 2008, seemingly paving the way for his successor.

The 51-year-old native of Cahors, in the French region of Midi-Pyrénées, has long ties with FIBA, having overseen the organisation of EuroBasket 1999 and joining FIBA Europe’s Central Board this year.

FIBA