Great Britain might not be able to participate in the 2013 Eurobasket tournament, due to be held in Slovenia.
The European nations involved at London 2012 – as well as its qualifying tournament – will receive automatic berths at the following summer’s Eurobasket as per the usual rule.
A story though, via British basketball website: www.mvp247.com claims that the Great Britain men’s and women’s squads might not be able to play in European basketball’s premier championship, if the home nations don’t unite into a British Basketball Federation.
The home nations still presently operate as England Basketball, Basketball Scotland and Wales Basketball.
“If there is no GB, then there is no place at Eurobasket,” claimed a long-time observer with experience of working for FIBA.
“The problem then would arise that you would have England, Scotland and Wales with no way to qualify for 2013. And they would not have any competitive games for two years.”
This could be damaging to the continued progress of basketball in Britain, a year after the 2012 London Olympics.
FIBA has given British Basketball a deadline of June 2012 to remain either as three home nations, or merge into one (British Basketball Federation).
