GB Women’s Head Coach & GM step down amidst BBF liquidation

The Head Coach and General Manager of the Great Britain Senior Women have stepped away from their roles with immediate effect, citing uncertainty, operational constraints, and a lack of clarity around the programme’s future.

In a joint statement released today, Stella Kaltsidou and Jacob Lloyd said that while they remain confident in the talent and commitment of the players, the conditions required to build a competitive and sustainable national team “are no longer in place”.

Their departure comes amid the ongoing fallout from the British Basketball Federation (BBF) entering liquidation in November, the most severe governance crisis in the sport’s modern era.

“We have worked in a constantly shifting and uncertain environment,” the statement said.

“While we remain confident in the talent, commitment and potential of the players, the conditions required to build a competitive and sustainable national team are no longer in place.”

Kaltsidou and Lloyd were appointed in August and September 2025 respectively, during a period of escalating instability around the governance and funding of elite basketball in Great Britain.

They pointed specifically to the upcoming March international window – where they will face Switzerland away then Austria and Norway at home in Manchester – alongside wider operational and communication issues, stating that they did not feel they could continue “in good faith”.

Since the BBF ceased trading, responsibility for maintaining GB programmes has seen Basketball England playing a central role in keeping the programme operational.

Significant budget reductions were already imposed across both the men’s and women’s programmes during the November window, a move widely expected following the federation’s financial collapse.

With the BBF in liquidation, long-term certainty around staffing, planning and resourcing has been effectively impossible.

The FIBA British Basketball Taskforce continues to work with domestic stakeholders on interim operating arrangements.

While the circumstances surrounding the men and women’s programme remain challenging, the overriding priority across the sport is ensuring that GB teams continue to fulfil their international commitments.

Failure to meet FIBA obligations could expose Great Britain to serious sporting sanctions, including the risk of suspension from international competition.

Despite assurances that upcoming windows will be delivered, major questions remain over the long-term governance of British basketball, the structure of a future GB federation, and how national teams will be sustainably supported.

The full statement read as follows:

“After careful consideration, we have taken the difficult decision to step away from our roles with the Great Britain Senior Women’s National Team with immediate effect.

Since assuming our positions in August and September 2025, respectively, we have worked in a constantly shifting and uncertain environment. While we remain confident in the talent, commitment and potential of the players, the conditions required to build a competitive and sustainable national team are no longer in place.

Given the constraints surrounding the March window, the current operational and communication structures, and the uncertainty regarding the programme beyond this period, we do not feel we can continue in good faith.

This decision reflects our professional judgement that, at this time, we are unable to operate in a manner aligned with our values or with what we believe the players deserve. At the core of all our work is a people-first approach, and without sufficient clarity around both the immediate commitments and the longer-term direction of the programme, we feel those relationships would be placed in a difficult position given our previous promises to each other, the players and the rest of the staff.

The national team belongs to its players. We wish them every success and hope that the programme is given the support and direction it deserves going forward.”