Fears are rejected by body

THE Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) has rejected fears that England and Scotland, whose squad includes Arbroath’s Gareth Murray, could be prevented from taking part in the basketball tournament at the Games in April.

The threat has been made at least twice in letters sent to the British authorities from basketball’s international federation FIBA and is related to a funding crisis that could see Great Britain’s teams unable to fulfil fixtures.

FIBA, which has tried to support British Basketball, has made it clear this would result in the teams being suspended for two years.

British MPs debated the sport’s relative lack of funding at Westminster and were told by the debate’s organiser, Alex Sobel MP, that the participation of England and Scotland in the men’s basketball competition at Gold Coast 2018, and England in the women’s event, was also at risk.

This warning was spelled out in a letter from FIBA’s European executive director Kamil Novak to British sports minister Tracey Crouch.

In the letter, Novak wrote: “England and Scotland’s Commonwealth Games participation could still be under threat if Great Britain basketball cannot fulfil its senior fixtures in the next windows.

“This would be a let down for the athletes already selected, now in training and ready to travel.”

However, in a statement, CGF chief executive David Grevemberg said: “We look forward to welcoming the Team England and Team Scotland basketball teams, and indeed the entire Commonwealth basketball community, to the 2018 Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast.

“We continue to work closely with FIBA on preparations for the event and are confident they will run a fantastic event at the Games.”