Funding for Basketball reconsidered

UK Sport has recently announced that Basketball will now receive funding for the 2016 Rio Olympics and Paralympics cycle.

In December, the UK Sport Board had decided to withdraw funding from several sports including Basketball. New performance data which shows that Basketball has a credible chance of winning a medal in 2016 or 2020 meant that the Board has reversed its decision.

Meg welcomes the UK Sport Board's decision and England Basketball's selection of the Hackney as a priority area for Basketball. Hackney will benefit from a number of programmes including; IM Basketball, a programme offering informal games of basketball for young people aged 14-25 and Ball Again, a programme for those aged 16 or older who have left education and wish to return to sport. Hackney has also been identified as a potential base for four satellite clubs and an IM Basketball central league venue. From 2013-14, there will be a Local Commissioning and Reward Fund which will be available in 2013-14 to provide seed funding for local groups.