Paris (AFP)
French basketball players will face the Spanish world champions twice in late June and early July, then the Americans in mid-July to prepare for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics (July 24-August 9), the French Federation announced on Tuesday.
Nicolas Batum's teammates, bronze medalists at the 2019 World Cup, will start their preparation in Pau on June 23, and will play two preparation matches against Spain, a first on June 30 in Malaga, then a match in Paris-Bercy on July 10.
The French, who will leave for China on July 13, will find Team USA, whom they beat in a historic match in the quarterfinals of the 2019 World Cup, on July 17 in Shanghai, then Argentina, vice- world champion on July 20, still in China.
The Federation said it will monitor the situation in China, and will advise according to the evolution of the coronavirus epidemic.
"Playing the world champions twice is a good thing. Spain remains the benchmark in Europe. The Americans will be the favorites of the Games, even if we had the honor of beating them. "last year," said Vincent Collet, coach of the men's team, at a press conference at Insep on Tuesday.
The basketball players, vice-champions of Europe for the fourth consecutive time in 2019 and who ensured their presence at Tokyo-2020 by winning the qualification tournament at Bourges eight days ago, will play eight preparation matches between mid-June and the start of the Games.
They will notably face Spain, 2019 European champion and bronze medalist at the Mondial-2018 in Paris-Bercy on July 10, and the Australians, vice-world champions in 2018, twice in Australia, in mid-July.
"The objectives are necessarily high, but we are not alone. The level has tightened. To be on a podium, that implies dominating certain teams, it will be a tough tournament", underlined Valérie Garnier.
The draw for the three pools in four of the men's and women's Olympic tournaments is scheduled for March 21 in Tokyo. French basketball won three silver medals at the Olympic Games: in 1948 in London and in 2000 in Sydney for men, in London in 2012 for women.
Preparation schedule
GENTLEMEN
June 23: start of the first preparation course in Pau
June 30: Spain - France in Malaga
July 7: match to be confirmed
July 10: France - Spain in Paris-Bercy
July 15: match in China to be confirmed
July 17: France - United States in Shanghai in China
July 20: France - Argentina in China
LADIES
June 9: start of the first internship in France
June 17 and 18: two matches in France to be determined
June 28 and 30: two matches Spain - France in Spain
July 10: France - Spain in Paris-Bercy
July 14 and 18: two matches Australia - France in Australia
July 20: Japan - France in Oshino in Japan
© 2020 AFP