SDGs of Interest
"Nothing is impossible for a brave heart."
Sport
🤾♀️ Handball
Philanthropy & Social Engagement
Mariama Signaté is a former French international handball player, whose career reflects high-level performance and personal resilience. Born in Dakar and raised in France, she built an international career across leading European clubs while earning 147 caps and scoring over 400 goals for the French national team.
Beyond competition, her trajectory illustrates perseverance, adaptability, and the capacity to navigate complex professional environments. Her experience—both in success and adversity—positions her as a credible voice in supporting athletes, particularly women, in building sustainable and resilient careers in sport.
Her areas of engagement include:
- Supporting young athletes, particularly girls, in accessing and remaining in competitive sport pathways.
- Promoting resilience and mental strength, drawing from her own experience in international sport and career transitions.
- Advocating for fair and safe professional environments in sport, including athlete protection and wellbeing.
- Contributing to mentorship initiatives aimed at guiding athletes through both performance and post-career transitions.
- Encouraging participation in sport as a tool for empowerment, inclusion, and confidence-building.
Nationalities
Career Highlights
🤾♀️ 147 caps – French National Team (406 goals)
🥈 World Championship Silver Medal – 2009, 2011
🏅 Olympian – Beijing 2008
🏅 Olympian – London 2012
🌍 All-Star Left Back – World Championship 2009
🥇 Mediterranean Games Gold Medal – 2009
🏆 EHF Challenge Cup Winner – 2009
🥈 EHF Cup Winners’ Cup Finalist – 2013
🥈 EHF Challenge Cup Finalist – 2014
Multiple medals at national championships (France and Hungary)
Professionnal Activities
- A former professional handball player who competed in the top divisions in France, Denmark and Hungary, she played as a left back, recognised for her physical presence, scoring ability and defensive contribution. Her international career spans over two decades, with consistent participation in major tournaments and experience across leading clubs, including Issy-Paris Hand, Aalborg DH and Érdi VSE, among others.
- She has successfully transitioned from elite sport to a multifaceted professional career, underpinned by strong academic achievements. She holds three degrees: a Master’s in Management from emlyon business school, a Master’s in CSR and Sustainable Development from the University of Haute-Alsace, and an MBA in Strategic Management for the Energy and Ecological Transition from IFG.
- Since 2019, she has worked as a sports consultant for major media outlets, including L’Équipe Channel, France Télévisions, France 3 Régions, Eurosport and RMC. In parallel, she regularly speaks at conferences on performance, teamwork and sustainability.
- As an entrepreneur, she is co-founder of a gaming house based in Toulon and of the eSports team “TLN Pirates”, which competes in the LFL on League of Legends. Within this framework, she leads a social impact initiative focused on youth employability, providing training in digital and technical skills through gaming and facilitating access to career opportunities through partnerships with leading technology companies.
- She is currently a Sport Specialist in an international organization, where she manages projects related to sport, sustainability, medical and anti-doping.
Portfolio
📍 France – Women in Sport: Access and Retention
Mariama Signaté supports initiatives that promote the participation and retention of girls and young women in sport. Her engagement focuses on addressing structural barriers, encouraging long-term commitment, and strengthening confidence through sport.
📍 Global – Athlete Resilience & Mental Strength
Drawing from her international career and personal experiences, she contributes to initiatives centred on mental resilience, helping athletes navigate pressure, uncertainty, and career transitions within professional sport.
📍 Global – Sport for Empowerment & Inclusion
She supports programmes that use sport as a tool for inclusion, particularly for young people from diverse or underrepresented backgrounds, reinforcing sport as a space for personal growth and social integration.
