British Handball Chair Paul Bray says the organisation backs the 'Every Sport Matters' manifesto.
The manifesto, which has been signed by 11 governing bodies including British Handball, is calling for a change in the way Olympic and Paralympic sport funding is made. It proposes medal-return should not be the sole driver- and that the system should allow all Olympic and Paralympic athletes to realise their potential.
Bray said: “We find ourselves in a ‘chicken and egg’ situation that our sport is expected to become an Olympic medal contender with zero funding, before it can be considered for funding.
“We cannot get out of this vicious circle without some kind of re-think from UK Sport.
“The lack of funding means that we are unable enter European-qualification or World-qualification events. This is because of the risk of being drawn to host the event and being potentially bankrupted by the process.
“This position does not mean that we do not support prioritising sports that are likely to deliver medals. However, we do not feel sports should be ‘abandoned’ wholesale.
“Team sports have been shown to have a strong ongoing participation and legacy, impact. In handball this is shown by the exceptional growth of the England Handball under-19 competition and schools competition, while there are 32 teams in Scotland’s youth competition for ages 9-16.
“As these sports grow at the base we need have the platform in place for the young players to aspire to.
“While we are calling for a re-think of UK Sport strategy, we are also committed to seeking financial support from all potential funding parties, both public and private.”
