British men's captain Sullivan and Leedham, who is one of the mainstays of the women's team, met with the APPG on Speaker's Green outside Westminster Palace in London.

The APPG on Basketball aims to raise awareness of the sport and examine its ability to make a positive impact on the social challenges faced within inner cities and deprived communities.

Sullivan, who plays with British Basketball League (BBL) outfit Leicester Riders, was fulsome in his support of the work being carried out by the APPG.

"As someone who grew up in London, I know how important the sport was back then and how it is even more important today," said the 34-year-old Olympian, who represented Great Britain at the 2012 Olympic Games.

"For many young people, it gives them real focus and is a huge positive in their lives.

"I back what the APPG are doing because it's important that we raise the profile of the sport at all levels and especially with some of the challenges currently being faced over funding."

The funding issue referred to by Sullivan is a result of the decision in February by UK Sport to withdraw £7 million ($11.5 million/€8.5 million) of Olympic funding awarded to governing body British Basketball.

The decision was appealed but rejected by UK Sport in March leading to fierce criticism from British Basketball performance director Roger Mooreland, who claimed team sports are losing out due to strict performance targets set down by UK Sport and pointing out that basketball is the largest British Olympic team sport in terms of participation.

Great Britain captain Drew Sullivan has backed the work of the APPG on Basketball ©Getty Images



Kevin Routledge, vice chairman of the BBL Foundation, which helps coordinate and deliver national programmes to target increased participation at all levels, particularly grassroots, hopes the event will have a real impact on raising the profile of the sport at a time when its funding has been slashed.

"It gave MPs, Peers and their staff an opportunity to find out a little more about the sport of basketball, and the accessibility of the sport and its popularity," said Routledge.

"We had representatives there from all parts of the British game, able-bodied and from wheelchair basketball, players, administrators, the governing bodies and the media.

"We had a lot of interest from MPs and Peers and it was an informative and fun afternoon.

"We want to get more of our lawmakers and decision makers to better understand the sport.

"It's almost a unique position in our inner cities, particularly with the results of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Basketball Inquiry on the ability of basketball to make a difference to the social challenges of the inner cities and deprived communities."

Chair of the APPG, MP Sharon Hodgson, commented: "Today's showcase event has reaffirmed the continued relationship between Parliament and the basketball family, and our shared goal of realising the potential the sport has to transform the lives of disadvantaged young people, something we will highlight again in our upcoming report into basketball's social impact in urban areas."

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