The Monaco Basket Association (MBA) has entered a decisive chapter in its history with the backing of the Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer (SBM). At a press conference on Tuesday, the club unveiled its ambitions for the 2025–2026 season and confirmed that SBM’s President-Delegate, Stéphane Valeri, will now serve as co-president of the MBA alongside founder Éric Elena.
The announcement cements a strengthened partnership that goes beyond financial support, with SBM offering access to its sporting facilities and aligning its values of excellence, teamwork, and equality with the MBA’s mission. “We share the will to build a great women’s basketball club for Monaco,” said Valeri. “Our goal is clear: to reach the Boulangère Wonderligue within three seasons.”
Founded in 2009 by Éric and Martine Elena, the MBA has become a flagship for women’s sport in the Principality, not only competing at high levels but also developing youth programmes and promoting opportunities for women in basketball. The club achieved a major milestone last season by securing promotion to Ligue Féminine 2 (LF2), the second tier of French women’s basketball.
For the new campaign, the MBA has refreshed its squad with seven new signings, appointed experienced Greek coach Petros Prekas, and entrusted leadership on the court to captain Lysa Millavet. The season’s aim is consolidation in LF2, targeting a finish in the top half of the table as a step toward eventual promotion to the top flight.
Both co-presidents underlined the broader importance of the project. “Women’s sport still doesn’t receive the full recognition it deserves in Europe,” noted Valeri, emphasising the parallels between equality in sport and in business. Elena added: “This season, we want to make the crowd vibrate, carry Monaco’s colours with pride, and share our passion for basketball with the widest possible audience.”
Home fixtures will once again be staged at the Salle Gaston Médecin, where the team hopes to thrill fans with competitive performances and further raise Monaco’s profile in women’s basketball.
As the 2025–2026 season tips off, the MBA is not only chasing victories but also writing a new chapter in the story of sport and equality in the Principality.
