France's Dumerc ruled out of 2016 Rio Olympics

FIBA.com photo

The French national women's basketball team's hopes for a podium finish in the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics in Brazil has taken a huge blow two days before the beginning of the Games as Celine Dumerc has been ruled out of the competition, according to FIBA.

Dumerc, the 34-year-old veteran playmaker, was instrumental in bringing France back to the Olympic Games.

She averaged 7.7 PPG, 3.7 RPG, and 7.7 APG in the 2016 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament for Women which her squad hosted last June.

Replacing Dumerc is Amel Bouderra.

Jeux Olympiques : Amel Bouderra remplace Céline Dumerc https://t.co/bLeS1XcP5V

— L'ÉQUIPE (@lequipe) August 4, 2016

France is in Group A of the women's Olympic Basketball Tournament alongside Belarus, Australia, Japan, Brazil, and Turkey.

In Group B are Canada, Spain, the United States, Senegal, Serbia, and China.