Former Brazilian basketball coach Diego Falcao hired by Queensland school after anti-abortion posts

A co-ed Sunshine Coast school has been found to have hired a new basketball coach who was recently dismissed by his country’s national and Olympic team following a number of pro-life and anti-abortion social media posts.

New Peregian Beach College basketball coach Diego Falcao. Picture: Patrick Woods.

A co-ed Sunshine Coast school has hired a basketball coach who was removed from Brazil’s elite programs on the eve of the Olympics due to a series of anti-abortion comments.

Diego Falcao, a former coach for the Brazilian men’s and women’s national and Olympic teams, was released by the Brazilian Basketball Confederation in June after a request from the playing group in relation to his publications on social media against abortion.

The 44-year-old had been working with Brazil’s men’s and women’s teams in the past five Olympic cycles.

It was reported that the organisation made the decision to release Falcao not because the coach had expressed his opinion, but because he had created an ‘unsustainable climate’.

Following Falcao’s dismissal, women’s head coach Jose Neto and other members of the coaching staff, announced their decision to step down from the role in support of Falcao.

In July, the Sunshine Coast Sporting Academy and Peregian Beach College announced Falcao as their program’s new head coach and head technical consultant coach.

New Peregian Beach College basketball coach Diego Falcao. Picture: Patrick Woods.

The SCSA and college were unaware of the comments and reasoning to Falcao’s termination prior to his appointment.

The college declined to comment on the matter and the masthead’s request to speak to the coach.

Sporting director Melvyn Wilkes said he was ready to move forward and was excited for this new chapter.

“Diego comes with a wealth of experience as he’s worked at the top end for a number of years and we’re now hoping to reinvigorate our basketball program,” Wilkes said.

“Our plan is to develop the program from the ground up like we’ve done with football and are doing with our other sports.

“Diego’s remit is to lay the foundations for the development of our younger players which in return should assist our process of senior teams and top talent.”

Wilkes said the relationship was developed between Falcao and Bruno Pena Couto who is the college’s head of sports science and performance.

“Before Bruno joined us he worked and is still involved as Brazil’s head of sport science and medical,” Wilkes said.

“That’s where we connected and that relationship was developed and we’re very excited to have Diego on board.”

The academy announced earlier this year that they had been able to secure the Brazilian National Olympic Basketball Program in the lead up to the 2032 Brisbane Olympics, with the players and coaches using the College training areas, sports science and medical testing labs, accommodation facilities and indoor basketball arena which is on track to be completed by late November.

With over 20 years experience, Falcao said he was extremely excited to be joining the College.

“Basketball is my life,” he said.

“I’ve grown up playing, coaching and studying basketball and have worked with a lot of different teams and players.

“I’ve worked at the top for so long but I’m really excited for this new chapter and what I can hopefully bring to the school and the wider region.

“To have a refreshing approach and work with young children to develop their skills and guide them to the next level is an exciting project.”

He said he had a focus on the 2032 Olympic Games.

“There will be a number of high level athletes, teams and staff using our facilities and hopefully by then some of those star players can be homegrown,” he said.

“There is a nice base there already but we also have a lot of work to do so it’s a new challenge for me but one I’m very excited for.

“I’m a big supporter of the project and what everyone is trying to achieve, I love the vibe and lifestyle of the Sunshine Coast and hopefully we can strive together.”

In a statement on the matter Right to Life Australia said: “Right to Life Australia’s spokesperson said we have to admire Diego Falco’s strong stand on protection of human life. “There is no justification for ending the life of an other human being, regardless of how a child came into existence. We wish him all the best”.