DAKAR (Senegal) - As FIBA's Regional Office Africa's first-ever all-female referees' training camp came to an end in Dakar on Sunday, December 15, FIBA Africa Women's Council President Maimouna Bah encouraged the new officials to embrace and help promote women's basketball on the continent.
Accompanied by FIBA Africa President Anibal Manave and Vice-President Jean Michel Ramaroson, Bah noted that the new generation of referees should take basketball seriously.
"I want each of you to go back to your respective countries and coach at least one girl," Bah said, adding: "And I want you to get back to me and introduce me to the girl or girls that you have brought into our sport. It's important for our growth.
"We are still in the early stages. We're working through you to pave the way for the next generation to increase the number of referees, coaches, table officials and match officials".
The three-day Women's Training took place on the sidelines of the Women's Basketball Africa League 2024 (WBLA) in the Senegalese capital. Bah noted that it was an important opportunity for the new referees to see where African women's basketball stands.
There's a growing number of women in a wide range of positions in basketball around the world, and according to Bah, African basketball is joining the trend through FIBA's development programs.
"The WBLA should be an all-female tournament, with female coaches and referees. This is the case in other continents," the Senegalese told the new referees, who came from nine francophone African countries.
"Did you see how many female coaches there were?"
"Today we're asking for parity. But we won't achieve that parity by staying at home.
“You are a very good example, and I wish that you mentor girls here. You will go through the different stages of life. You will succeed when you have been able to get through it all and move forward,” the FIBA Africa Women's Council President emphasized.
Nineteen candidates from ten FIBA Africa Zones 1, 2 and 3 attended the training camp overseen by former referee Mathurin N'Guessan.
FIBA Regional Office Africa’s development program is planning another all-female referee training camp for Anglophone candidates in the near future.
FIBA