LEVY PROPOSED TO FUND GB

The board of the British Basketball Federation is to ask members of the three home nations to fund the GB teams.

The plan represents a stunning volte-face by the federation, less than 18 months after a coup over threw the BBF’s previous board when such a proposal was cited as one of the reasons for a reverse takeover led by Basketball England, Scotland and Wales.

Now members of all three national governing bodies are to be consulted on a “request” to impose a levy that would generate the £250,000 minimum budget to operate all teams from senior down to Under-16 levels.

According to BE, the sum would represent £8 per senior member and £4 for juniors and monies raised would be ringfenced. The trio of home country bodies are represented on the BBF board.

A statement said: “Basketball England will enter a consultation period with members until October 31 to gauge support for the proposal of a supplementary fee, additional to the membership fee, to be provided to support the national teams until the BBF can secure alternative funding.”

Feedback on the idea can be submitted here.

MVP understands UK Sport are to provide BBF with additional funding to cover next February’s Olympic qualifiers for GB women despite a reluctance to financially support the EuroBasket qualifiers which begin next month.

British Basketball is expected to make a case to receive some Lottery funding when the current system is revised after next summer’s Olympics in Tokyo.

Photo: MAP