The decision by NBA club owners to lock out players starting last Friday means NBA stars who want to play for their homelands in Olympic qualifying over the next few months must pay for their own insurance.

The first NBA shutdown since the 1998-1999 season was reduced to 50 games began Friday morning after league officials and union leaders failed to find common ground in a last-ditch effort to avoid the lockout.

Owners want a hard salary cap without the exceptions now available and to find a profitable business model for a league they say has only eight clubs that are profitable among its 30 teams.

Players hope to maintain the status quo, saying it is not their fault that teams spend themselves into oblivion in quest of a championship.

Some NBA players will look to participate with national teams in upcoming qualifying tournaments for the 2012 London Olympics, many saying they would play regardless of whether or not the NBA clubs have them locked out.

“We hope that the parties will find rapidly a solution, but above all we hope that the situation will not have a negative effect on the Olympic qualifiers this summer,” FIBA secretary Patrick Baumann said.

Players cannot use team facilities during the lockout. They will not be paid and are responsible for their own insurance, which could become an issue since a career-ending injury could come in Olympic qualifying.

“The only difference between a lockout and a no lockout situation is that we have to pay more insurance,” French Basketball Federation president Jean-Pierre Siutat said.

“We are aware of the situation with the players. We are currently trying to raise the necessary funds to cover the additional costs and are thus trying to find somebody who can help us in France, the government or some alternative sponsor.”