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British Basketball won't appeal Olympic funding cut

Great Britain's men's basketball team lost four matches and failed to progress to the knockout stages at London 2012 © Getty Images

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British basketball have ruled out making another appeal against UK Sport's decision to withdraw £7 million in Olympic funding.

UK Sport cut basketball's funding to zero in February, and declined against reversing its decision in a March review. The body insisted basketball's medal prospects at the 2016 Olympics did not warrant the investment.

"While there may be a case for appeal, the costs associated with making that successful had to be considered along with other matters," a British Basketball statement said.

Basketball, which had been awarded £7 million over four years, was one of seven Olympic and Paralympic sports to have its budget completely withdrawn in February with the money reinvested in 18 other sports.

Weightlifting had its funding restored following a successful appeal in March, but basketball, synchronised swimming, water polo and Paralympic sports wheelchair fencing, goalball and five-a-side football failed to convince UK Sport to reconsider.

The decision is part of UK Sport's 'No Compromise' policy that sees the 37 sports with "realistic medal potential for the Rio 2016 or Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games" prioritised with those sports that are not expected to bring medals receiving cuts.

Great Britain's men's basketball team suffered four defeats and failed to qualify for the knockout stages at the London 2012 Olympics, while the women's team lost five out of five matches.

Both the men's and women's senior teams will be funded by British Basketball during the EuroBasket 2015 qualifying fixtures, while the Under-20 programme - which has focused on Tokyo - will be maintained.

"We have been faced with making difficult decisions because the funding decision has made our situation challenging," said performance chairman Roger Moreland.

"As well as giving the senior teams the chance to qualify for next year's EuroBasket finals, it is equally important to give the next generation more international experience and that is why the case for the Under-20 teams has been prioritised above off court issues."

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