Legacy issue foils UK hopes

International basketball federation chief Patrick Baumann warned Britain they have still not done enough to warrant a place at the 2012 London Olympics.

Basketball is the only one of the 26 sport in which Britain have not been granted automatic qualification for the Games.

Baumann, secretary general of FIBA, confirmed a British team would be good enough to compete. But with less than two years to go, FIBA have still not ratified Britain’s place at the Olympics because they are not convinced about the sport’s future in the country.

Baumann warned that the British Basketball Federation and the Bri-tish Basketball League must prove they can work together to ensure a home team can compete.

“It would seem that up to a certain standard they (Britain) do have the competitiveness sportswise,” Baumann said.

“The question is: how can they capitalise on it after the London Olympic Games? This is the question they need to answer.

“We want a strong legacy.”