British Basketball Respond to UK Sport Investment Review - Hoopsfix.com

British Basketball Respond to UK Sport Investment Review

British Basketball have issued a statement responding to UK Sport’s investment review, announced earlier today.

The decision gives GB a glimmer of hope in regards to funding with UK Sport adopting a change in approach with how it determines its investment.

And Performance Chairman, Roger Moreland gave his views on the latest development regarding GB’s situation.

“UK Sport have taken some time to consult and review the outcomes of the consultation and it’s important that we and other team sports do likewise; so we can fully understand the detail behind the UK Sport statement,” he said.

“On the face of it, while it was not the news that team sports were hoping for, I do at least take some comfort from the words of Minister for Sport, Helen Grant.

“She has explicitly spoken about her pleasure that UK Sport are at least open to taking the broader value of its investment into account in its funding decisions, and we have to now see how this unfolds and how it can be interpreted.

“This also builds on last year’s comments by the House of Lords’ Olympic and Paralympic Legacy Select Committee in respect of team sports.

“However time is critical and we don’t want basketball, or indeed any team sport in a similar position to us, to lose its star athletes of the future by being unable to give them the Olympic Dream they all deserve.

“The work done by the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Basketball rightly highlighted how the sport makes a positive impact on the social challenges faced within deprived communities and provides opportunities for players from those communities to realise their potential. We feel this remains a vital component.

“Meanwhile the funding support of Sport England for basketball at GB level has been most welcome and we are very grateful for what they have done in giving us the chance to compete in international competitions,” continued Moreland.

“That support is invaluable and needs to be augmented from other sources, so we can maintain the progress achieved in recent years and deliver the success and role models that will motivate young people to play regularly and develop their potential in the future.

“Our senior women are heading to their third successive EuroBasket Women Final Round tournament this summer and the door to Rio is still open for them.

“We strongly believe we have medal potential for the future, but that means having the foundation in place to support and motivate all of our players and especially those who are at such a critical stage in their formative years.”

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