"We are very disappointed that UK Sport has decided to remove all funding for British Basketball in the lead-up to Rio 2016," he said.

"While their approach of attributing funds to the sports they believe have the most medal prospects for in 2016 make sense, they must understand that getting value for their investment in basketball will happen but that this takes more time - as it does generally for team sports.

"Given the proper funds, we are confident that British Basketball can build on an already good base and achieve medal potential for Tokyo 2020."

British Basketball was left shocked yesterday following the decision by UK Sport to cut its funding entirely in the lead-up to the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.

UK Sport chief executive Liz Nicholl defended the move, describing basketball as a "high risk" investment with "a very remote potential that they can really deliver a medal in Tokyo 2020".

Many sports fans have turned to social media to hit out over UK Sport's decision including GB men's team captain Drew Sullivan ©Twitter



The decision has brought a backlash from many within the basketball circuit who feel UK Sport's "medal potential" investment system is unfair on those participating in team sports or non multiple-medal sports.

With UK Sport using the medal potential of a sport to determine its level of funding, they feel it leaves those who can only contest for one or two medals per Games at a huge disadvantage to those who have five or six opportunities to secure a medal.

This view was highlighted by British Basketball's performance chairman Roger Moreland, who emphasised the point made by Lord Harris in a Select Committee Report on team sports entitled, Keeping the Flame Alive: The Olympic and Paralympic Legacy, which stated the funding approach of UK Sports has "an inherent bias against team sports, and fails to help emerging sport.

"It is clear that the UK Sport funding system does not work for team sports or emerging sports," added Moreland.

"There is a huge chasm from participation to winning medals for sports like ours to breach.

"That has to change."

GB men's team captain Drew Sullivan was highly critical of the decision, using Twitter to vent his frustration at UK Sport.

"Desperately disappointed with @uk_sport decision," he wrote.

"They've clearly decided that medals are more important than legacy and our countries youth."

British Basketball has said it will make an informal representation to UK Sport in order press their case for future finding.

Six other sports have also been told their funding will be reduced to zero by UK Sport: synchronised swimming, water polo, weightlifting, visually impaired football, goalball and wheelchair fencing

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


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