Boulogne-Levallois castigated Thursday in a press release the “forceful move” of the French Basketball Federation which summoned its captain Lahaou Konaté to the French 3×3 basketball team for an Olympic qualifying tournament (TQO) in the middle of the Elite season (5×5).
According to the French vice-champion club, last in the championship and destined for relegation, Konaté was summoned “today” (Thursday) for the TQO from May 3 to 5 in Utsunomiya (Japan) which, preceded by a training course preparation, will cause him to miss half of the last eight regular season matches.
The Mets 92 say they indicated their refusal to release their potentially affected players (Axel Toupane was also targeted) during an exchange on March 13 with national technical director Alain Contensoux and the coach of the French 3×3 team, Karim Souchu . “They told us they could force themselves through a summons… which has just been done…” continues the club, which denounces a “double sporting and financial penalty” in the absence of monetary compensation.
“Being deprived of our captain for these matches will distort the fairness of the fight for maintenance and qualification for the BETCLIC Elite playoffs. Such a state of affairs is unacceptable in our eyes,” add the Metropolitans 92. Furthermore, they affirm that Alain Contensoux and Karim Souchu told them, during the interview, that they “did not wish to solicit” other championship clubs with players potentially selectable in 3×3, given their “important stakes” at the end of the season.
Unlike the French women’s 3×3 team, qualified for the Paris Olympics thanks to its world ranking, the Blues must get their ticket by winning the Utsunomiya TQO or by taking one of the three tickets at stake during that of Debrecen (Hungary), from May 16 to 19, once the Elite regular season is over.
