DENG ASKS PM TO RESOLVE FUNDING MESS
NBA All Star Luol Deng has entered the debate over British Basketball’s funding snub by writing to the Prime Minister to demand that the decision is reversed.
The Great Britain international’s intervention comes ahead of a scheduled debate on the issue in Parliament on Monday, two days before UK Sport are due to hear an appeal from senior figures in the governing body about their plans to give the national teams no financial support in the lead-up to Rio 2016.
Deng believes the moves would wreck all pretentions of a legacy from last year’s Olympic Games at a time when GB “are now being taken seriously on the world stage.”
And he says the move would destroy the ambitions of basketball for future generations.
‘The sport of basketball is a pathway, a pathway that teaches so many valuable lessons on and off the court,” the Chicago Bulls forward wrote. “How are we supposed to motivate these kids to carry along their journey when there’s now nothing at the end? No Team GB, no Olympic dream, no goal.
“You’re allowing a sport to be greatly harmed, a sport that can bring so much to so many and I won’t accept it. The sport needs more input from other resources I totally agree. But then let’s force the sport as a whole to live up to its promises and its potential.
“But we need this funding in order for that to happen. As I said, I get to see first hand what this sport can do for kids in the UK and it’s too valuable to be checked away.”
Deng’s plea has been backed by several other leading players,
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Source:
http://www.mvp247.com/2013/01/deng-asks-pm-funding/
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