DAKAR (Senegal) - The inaugural FIBA 3x3 Elite Youth Camp aimed to strengthen the high-performance pathway and expand development opportunities for male and female athletes, coaches, and referees from African nations.
FIBA and Olympic Solidarity successfully hosted the 2025 edition of the camp in Dakar, Senegal, from 31 October to 2 November.
The camp offered participants enhanced training environments and competitive experiences, which will contribute to the long-term growth of 3x3 basketball across the continent.
Camp's participants
The participating countries were Senegal, Kenya, Egypt and Algeria, and the Senegalese Basketball Federation played a key role in ensuring the camp's logistical and organisational success.
Senegal is set to host the 2026 Youth Olympic Games.
Egypt, Kenya and Algeria are among the top-ranked African countries in the youth category according to the FIBA rankings, and all have expressed their intention to participate in the 2026 Youth Olympic Games.
In total, 42 participants (21 men and 21 women) attended the camp.
Each country was represented by four male and four female U16 players, supervised by one male and one female coach.
As the host nation, Senegal had two male and two female coaches, as well as fifteen observer coaches who joined the sessions.
Training components
The camp was structured around three main training programmes:
- Players and Coaches Training, led by Karim Souchu (Head Coach of the French Men’s 3x3 National Team, silver medallist at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, and finalist of the 2024 World Tour Final with Team Paris).
- Table Officials Training, led by Corinne Taeye, an expert with extensive experience in game operations and officiating.
- Referees' training, led by Najib Chajiddine, a FIBA instructor.
Each training session brought together around 40 participants.
The first two days comprised theoretical and practical sessions on the court, including video analysis, skill development and technical workshops specific to the 3x3 game.
A visit to Dakar's landmark
On the final day, participants visited the African Renaissance Monument, providing the young athletes with an opportunity to connect with this powerful symbol of African heritage and pride.
In the afternoon, the camp concluded with a friendly tournament involving the four participating nations, which the Egyptian teams won in both the boys' and girls' categories.
The FIBA 3x3 Elite Youth Camp 2025 offered young African athletes, coaches, and officials a remarkable experience of training, exchange, and development. It perfectly exemplified the shared dedication of FIBA and Olympic Solidarity in cultivating the next generation of basketball talent across the continent.
During this event, referees and table officials also had the chance to apply what they had learnt under the direct supervision of experts.
Closing ceremony and acknowledgements
Several high-profile personalities attended the closing ceremony, reflecting the strong institutional support for this initiative. Among the VIP guests were Mathieu Faye (President of FIBA Africa Zone 2 and the Secretary General of the Senegalese National Olympic and Sports Committee (CNOSS); Mr Babacar Ndiaye (President of the Senegalese Basketball Federation); Amadou Gallo Fall (President of the Basketball Africa League (BAL).
FIBA