Basketball: Scots sign up for England merger

Basketball Scotland and their English counterparts signed a historic agreement yesterday in London that will formalise their merger into a single British basketball organisation, ensuring that there will be a Great Britain side beyond these Olympic Games.

Fiba secretary-general Patrick Baumann has confirmed that the world governing body has approved their plans to go forward with their full union post-2016, despite the objections of the Welsh.

It would see Scotland cease to field its own teams and give up its independence status after an agreement was reached for a new federal structure for the sport.

“What Scotland has decided has been extraordinary, to relinquish its membership of Fiba in favour of a British programme,” said Baumann.