FIBA BACKING CRUCIAL IN FUNDING PLEA

British Basketball chairman Roger Moreland believes the case has been made that Great Britain can be Olympic medal contenders, if not for Rio, but for 2020 and beyond.

It comes after UK Sport reversed their original decision to give no funding to basketball in the lead-up to the 2016 Games, endangering the national team programme.

Officials will hold talks with the agency later this month to secure enough funding to back GB’s teams at this summer’s EuroBasket finals as well as at Under-20 level, while also re-starting their search for new head coaches.

And Moreland claims the backing British Basketball received from FIBA may have swung the argument in their favour.

“They could see from our evidence and that supplied by Patrick Baumann from our International Federation (FIBA) that our sport has an upward trajectory in terms of both performance and participation,” he said.

” The endorsement and support of FIBA also played a crucial part in our success by demonstrating through technical information, how much progress we have made over the last 7 years as well as our position globally. We will now enter into a dialogue with UK Sport about the actual details and level of funding as well the support services required.  This is a momentous day for British basketball and everyone who is connected with the sports, whether players, fans or officials.”

FIBA chief Baumann, who personally attended the appeal hearing, welcomed UK Sport’s U-turn.

“I am thrilled for British basketball and UK Sport’s recognition and appreciation of the very strong case we presented,” he said.

“The new funding will allow the sport to build on the progress and growth it has already made in a very short time and aim for a podium place in 2020.”