However, it will pursue an appeal against the withdrawal of funding from synchronised swimming.

The decision follows last week's confirmation that UK Sport, Britain's elite sport funding body, was withdrawing funding from six Olympic and Paralympic sports, including also basketball and goalball.

An announcement said that British Swimming had "notified UK Sport of its intention to undertake a legal appeal" against the withdrawal of funding from synchronised swimming.

However: "After careful consideration of all factors, including independent legal advice, British Swimming has reluctantly taken the decision not to appeal the removal of funding for the women's water polo programme."

The governing body said, nonetheless, that it was "committed to continuing to campaign for water polo and indeed for the support of all Olympic team sports".

David Sparkes, the British Swimming chief executive, said the body was "keen to appeal the case for synchro."

The matter would now be submitted to an independent hearing through Sport Resolutions (UK).

Affected sports have until April 16 to do this.

British Swimming has promised to continue to fight for funding for the women's water polo team but have decided not to appeal against the UK Sport decision to withdraw its financial support ©Getty Images

Sparkes also emphasised that British Swimming felt that "the strategy adopted by UK Sport in terms of team sports needs further review and we will be seeking to influence this for water polo and the future of all team sports."

British Swimming chairman Maurice Watkins commented: "This has been an extremely difficult decision for British Swimming to make.

"Based on the narrow criteria of the appeal process and the advice we have received it is with reluctance that we take the decision not to pursue a legal challenge over the withdrawal of funding for water polo."

Sparkes initially described last week's confirmation of the funding cuts as "a very dark and sad day for British sport - especially for women's sport".

insidethegames understands that British Swimming offered unsuccessfully, before last week's announcement, to stand behind the team synchronised swimming programme if UK Sport would restore funding to the duet programme.

When the funding pot for the four year build-up to the Rio 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games was first allocated just before Christmas 2012, while men's water polo was cut, the women's team got an impressive increase to £4.54 million ($7.53 million/€5.54 million).

This compared with £2.93 million ($4.86 million/€3.58 million) given to the sport in the London 2012 cycle.

Now they have been left with nothing.

Synchro was initially allocated £4.34 million (£7.18 million/€5.20 million).