NEWCASTLE (Paul Nilsen's Women's Basketball Worldwide) - There was a raw beauty and quality to Azania Stewart's emotionally-charged interview about Great Britain's loss of funding last week.

Speaking in a BBC feature, the center did what nobody else has managed so far and that was to truly lay bare the stark reality of what it means to those who matter most - the players themselves.

For a long time now, Great Britain have left a lot of people understandably bored with their constant funding battle.

With the men not able to qualify for EuroBasket 2015, I can see why some continue to criticise and others tell me they are sick of hearing about it and all GB seem to do is moan and complain - even if it is something of a vicious circle that GB find themselves in.

However, the women in particular have done a really great job in the circumstances. Despite being underdogs throughout their journey and also being without two of their best players in qualifying for EuroBasket Women 2015, they are about to step out at a third consecutive Final Round.

The performance targets they have been set are unrealistic and anyone who knows the women's game will recognise that.

The odds of making it to Rio are stacked against them and while they have revelled in their underdog status to reach the second phase of the last two EuroBasket Women tournaments, the pressure hanging over their heads is enormous - if not ludicrous and intolerable.

Players should not have to carry such a burden on their shoulders.

It is not only about their own careers or aspirations, it is the burden of ensuring a legacy is not lost.

UK Sport remain in a position whereby they are directing resources towards those with the apparent best shot of medals. A potential softening of that stance has given a glimmer of hope, yet Great Britain are only able to compete in Hungary and Romania next month, as well as run U20 programmes because of valued emergency funding from Sport England.

Sport England are an organisation who seem to get the importance of the game and the high participation levels in the UK against other sports. They will also see that despite having their hands tied, the pathway for players from the 'Home Nations' of England, Scotland and Wales is being strengthened by GB.

Indeed the U18 England coach Lee Ryan and several rising England stars are in the GB Senior Women's camp today, learning all about what it means to play for their country at the highest level.

But even this event may cause players like Stewart to inevitably look at those such as (WBBL Young Player of the Year) Savannah Wilkinson and feel even more pressure that if they don't perform at EuroBasket Women, then she may not have the chance of playing senior level basketball in the future.

The tears of Stewart did bring a real lump to my own throat - mainly because I was there at the time the interview was made and I had waited for a fortnight for it to be aired and it was a very tricky moment all round. I had a six-hour drive home and all I could think about was Stewart's reaction to what looms on the horizon.

The player herself tweeted about her interview and I was thrilled that she received such an incredibly positive reaction from so many people.

She told the BBC: "Just because we didn't get a medal, we aren't worth anything... what made me really upset is that if we don't achieve our goals, it [the programme] will be burned to the ground and I won't play for my country again."

When I watched the interview online, the word 'fantastic' came out of my mouth. That is because it was phenomenal work by Chris Mitchell who undertook the interview and the words of Azania were just so compelling.

As I love women's basketball to the core and because I am also British, the predicament is also painful - if not quite on the same level as it is for the athletes involved.

I am pained because I know how hard so many people are working to take the game to the next level and everyone knows there are still changes to be made and work to be done.

But it is hard to progress further without some kind of sustained financial support and that is why I am praying that EuroBasket Women 2015 won't be the last we see of Stewart and Co.

They deserve a platform to continue showcasing their skills and dedication, as do the hundreds of thousands of young people in the UK - particularly those in the most challenging and mainly urban areas - who are currently playing the game and yet are now in serious danger of being ignored and written off by the politicians.

Politicians who need to put aside a mere 90 seconds from their schedules, to please listen to that magnificent and powerful BBC piece with Stewart.

Paul Nilsen

FIBA

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