Coach Alain Jardel may not be in charge of the French women's team at next year's World Championship in Brazil despite helping them qualify for the competition.

Les Bleues finished fifth at the EuroBasket 2005 in Turkey to confirm their place but the president of the French basketball federation, Yvan Mainini, has hinted the side could be going to South America without their charismatic coach.

The 59-year-old, who took France to the European final in 1999 and to the European title in 2001, is contracted to the federation until 2006, but Mainini has openly questioned whether it would be better to install a new coach due to Jardel's health problems.

"His speech is not always exceptionally clear," Mainini told L'Equipe.

"French basketball must look at its future and when I say future, I mean the EuroBasket 2007, which will allow us to qualify for the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.

"Alain is bothered by health problems which cause him far more problems than he wants to admit.

"Alain is also a little bit conservative.

"He should have already stopped in 2002 after the World Championships in China."