The British Olympic Association (BOA) today gave their full support to the Great Britain men and women’s team, ahead of the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

According to the BOA, British Basketball has met and exceeded the performance and legacy criteria, which would lead them to included in next year’s Olympics. The final decison will be made by FIBA at a meeting in Lyon on March 13th.

BOA confirmed their support by signing a promotional giant Great Britain ‘Say Yes’ jersey outside the BOA headquarters – witnessed by Great Britain women’s player, Sarah McKay.

“Having the British Olympic Association on board is a big boost for us as a programme and hopefully FIBA will follow and give us the chance to show the rest of the world what we can do,” McKay commented.

For the London 2012 Games, the BOA stipulated that British Basketball must demonstrate the following:

1) The ability to deliver a credible performance during the 2012 Olympic Games.

2) A long-term strategy to deliver a meaningful legacy as a result of the profile and visibility associated with competing in the Games, with a particular emphasis on increasing opportunities for participation for athletes, coaches, officials and volunteers at the grassroots level.

Great Britain captain, Andrew Sullivan added: “With the upcoming decision from FIBA fast approaching, it’s great that we have the full support of the British Olympic Association. I believe it’s extremely important for the continued success of basketball in this country that we show togetherness.”

An invitational basketball tournament will be held at the Olympic Basketball Arena from August 16-21.

John Hobbs for TalkBasket.net