UK Sport Withdraws Basketball Funding

UK Sport has withdrawn millions of pounds worth of funding to four sports at elite level, with basketball, synchronised swimming, water polo and weightlifting all suffering after failing to meet targets.

The organisation has now decided to put money into other sports ahead of the Rio Olympics in 2016 and Tokyo 2020, believing the sports are not capable of medal success at the future Games, while three Paralympic sports – wheelchair fencing, goalball and five-a-side football – suffered the same fate.

Around £350m will be spent preparing Britain’s best medal chances at both the Olympics and Paralympics and UK Sport chief executive Liz Nicholl said in a statement it would be ‘high risk’ to continue funding sports with little chance of winning a medal by 2020.

Nicholl continued: ‘To continue funding sports where the evidence is telling us they cannot win a medal by 2020 would be a high risk strategy that compromises opportunities elsewhere.’

‘It is testament to the strength of our high performance system that 36 sports have been identified through this process as being capable of winning medals within the next two Summer Olympic and Paralympic cycles and it is UK Sport’s job to do everything it can to ensure they get all the support necessary to achieve that goal.’

The sports that have missed out have until March to lodge an appeal.

John Amaechi, former NBA player and now psychologist, organisational consultant, said of the news: ‘The loss of funding for GBB is a set back for the game. However, the criteria for funding from UK Sport has been clear, and was not met – I personally think it’s a mistaken approach to fund for medals alone and along with the House of Lords Sporting Select Committee, I do believe the process in the UK is naturally biased against emerging and team sports.’ 

‘That being said, I personally believe it is time basketball stopped looking for scapegoats and really looked at itself in the mirror, from talent to governance and key personnel.  England Basketball has made some strides with the addition of new independent directors, but that is only the start.’

‘With a refreshed approach, a new strategy and a coalition of not just willing, but more importantly the expertly-skilled, I know GB basketball could have a Eurobasket finalist team in 7 years. That’s not a boast, that’s not hyperbole, if anything, it’s a reflection of the self-imposed challenges that have prevented some talented and willing participants from maximising their potential.’

‘The current approach in the broader game, of hoping for some miracle that takes the game over the top (London 2012, TV, NBA, etc) needs to stop and many of the current coalition of tired-but-tenured voices in the game need to go – willingly or otherwise.’

‘The young players in the UK need to refocus, as do their coaches and the structures that guide them, we all need to embrace a bold goal otherwise the game will remain mired.’

Meanwhile, funding has also been reduced for two of the 19 Olympic sports that receive UK Sport funds. Swimming has seen its pot go down to £20.8m from £21.4m (3% cut), while badminton’s funding is down to £5.7m from £5.9m (4% cut).

UK Sport said funds had been increased to 18 Olympic and Paralympic sports following a ‘rigorous’ annual investment review process.

Several sports have had a funding increase, including triathlon, whose pot of money goes up from £5.5m to £7.5m, a 35% increase. Others with increased funding include canoeing, fencing, gymnastics, hockey, judo, sailing, shooting and taekwondo.

In Paralympic sport, para-canoe received the biggest rise, up 33% from £2.3m to just over £3m, while disability sailing had a 29% increase, from £2.8m to £3.6m.

Three Olympic sports that had their funding cut a year ago – handball, table tennis and wrestling – did not receive funding.

Minister for Sport, Helen Grant, added that the decisions were not taken lightly: ‘The ambition to win more medals in Rio than we did in London is huge and will not be easy to achieve. UK Sport’s strategy has shown through the incredible results at the Beijing and London Games that it works. I am pleased that 36 sports have strong talent pathways in place that could result in medals for Britain in either Rio 2016 or Tokyo 2020.’

‘I know today’s decisions from UK Sport will be hard to take for some sports but funding is still available through Sport England for talent development and to grow their sport. UK Sport’s door will not be shut permanently to any sport but public investment has to be focussed on delivering results.’