Robert Busnel (19 September 1914 – 15 March 1991) was a French professional

basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appro ...

player, coach, and administrator. During his playing career, the 1.92 m (6'3 ") tall Busnel, played at the

power forward The power forward (PF), also known as the four, is one of the five traditional Basketball positions, positions in a regulation basketball game. Traditionally, power forwards have played a role similar to center (basketball), centers and are typi ...

position. He was made an Officer of the Legion of Honor, in 1989, and was awarded the Olympic Order, by the IOC, in 1990. He was inducted into the French National Sports Hall of Fame in 1994. He was inducted into the French Basketball Hall of Fame, in 2005. In 2007, he was enshrined as a contributor to the

FIBA Hall of Fame The FIBA Hall of Fame, or FIBA Basketball Hall of Fame, honors players, coaches, teams, referees, and administrators who have greatly contributed to international competitive basketball. It was established by FIBA in 1991. Originally built in ...

Basketball playing career

During his playing career, Busnel played club basketball with FA Mulhouse, FC Grenoble, ESSMG Lyon, UA Marseille, and Racing Club de France. Busnel played for the senior French national team, from 1934 to 1949. He played at the 1939 EuroBasket, the 1946 EuroBasket, the 1947 EuroBasket, and the 1949 EuroBasket, where he won a silver medal.

Basketball coaching career

Busnel coached the senior French national women's team, from 1945 to 1957. He won a bronze medal at the 1953 FIBA World Championship for Women. He also coached the senior French national men's team (1947–1957), winning a silver medal at the 1948 Summer Olympic Games, a silver medal at EuroBasket 1949 (he was a player-coach in that tournament), and bronze medals at EuroBasket 1951 and EuroBasket 1953. In the 1965–66 season, he coached

Real Madrid Real Madrid Club de Fútbol (), commonly referred to as Real Madrid, is a Spanish professional Football club (association football), football club based in Madrid. The club competes in La Liga, th ...

, on the club level.

Basketball administrative career

Busnel was the technical director (1960–1964), and President (1967–1980), of the French Basketball Federation. He was the President of the Standing Conference of Europe (now

FIBA Europe FIBA Europe is the administrative body for basketball in Europe, within the FIBA, International Basketball Federation (FIBA), which includes all List of men's national basketball teams#FIBA Europe, 50 national European basketball federations. ...

), from 1976 to 1982. He served as a President of

FIBA The International Basketball Federation (FIBA ; French language, French: ) is an association of national organizations which governs the sport of basketball worldwide. FIBA defines the rules of basketball, specifies the Basketball equipment ...

, in 1984–1990.

Personal life and death

Busnel received the Croix de Guerre 1939–1945. The French Basketball Cup is named after him, in his honor. Busnel, along with his wife Joëlle, and one of his nephews, died in an auto crash, in 1991, outside of

Lyon Lyon (Franco-Provençal: ''Liyon'') is a city in France. It is located at the confluence of the rivers Rhône and Saône, to the northwest of the French Alps, southeast of Paris, north of Marseille, southwest of Geneva, Switzerland, north ...

Awards and accomplishments

Club playing career

*7× French League Champion: (1930, 1931, 1943, 1944, 1946, 1948, 1951)

Club coaching career

* French League Champion: (1951) *3× FIBA European Selection: (1964, 1966, 1967) * Spanish League Champion: (1966) * Spanish Cup Winner: (1966)

References

External links

FIBA Player Profile

FIBA Hall of Fame Profile

Robert Busnel Profile
{{DEFAULTSORT:Busnel, Robert 1914 births 1991 deaths French men's basketball players French basketball coaches Sportspeople from Toulon FIBA Hall of Fame inductees Real Madrid basketball coaches Basketball coaches of international teams Officers of the Legion of Honour Officers of the Ordre national du Mérite Medalists at the 1948 Summer Olympics Olympic silver medalists for France Paris Racing Basket players Paris Racing Basket coaches Power forwards Union athlétique de Marseille players ESSMG Lyon players FC Grenoble basketball players Foyer alsacien Mulhouse players 20th-century French sportsmen Occitan sportspeople