The sport's governing body has just a week to find $500,000 (£272,000) for an additional insurance premium if the 23-year-old Chicago Bulls player is to take his place in the qualifying campaign for the 2009 European Championship Finals, which start in Tel Aviv against Israel next Wednesday, the website Baskebtall 24/7 reports today.

 

The New York company used by the NBA to cover all its players when they represent their national teams has refused to insure the $80 million (£40 million) contract that Deng signed with the the Bulls last month because of a minor back injury he suffered last Novermber.

 

British basketball officials are now faced with the prospect of having to find up to $2.5 million (£1.36 million) between now and London 2012 if they want Deng to play.

 

British Basketball's annual budget is currently £1.5 million but the prospect of losing Deng, who has become the poster boy of the sport in this country, would be a massive loss both on and off the court.

 

Chris Spice, British Basketball's performance director, told Basketball 24/7: "For us, this is a devastating blow.

 

"Luol was such a key part of our programme last season and what we are trying to build for 2012.

"If Luol doesn't participate this season or any other season leading up to London, there is no question our involvement is in doubt.

 

"The world governing body has not been very specific but we know from discussions that we need to be playing in the A-Division tournament in Europe to be given a place in the Olympics.

"We are almost two years ahead of ourselves, so successful were we last year, but we also have to look at the worst case scenario.

 

"If we fall out of the A-Division next year and cannot participate in the A-Division for Eurobasket 2011, then there is a real possibility we will not play in London."

 

Deng, born in Sudan but raised in London, started his basketball career in Brixton and is the one recognisable name that the sport has in Britain, who have not competed in the Olympic basketball tournament since 1948, the last occasion the Games were staged in the capital.

Spice said: "We are just about to launch our five-year strategy for the sport in Britain and Luol features all over it, if I'm honest.

"Luol has been involved from the time of the Olympic bid and we couldn't ask for a better ambassador.

 

"He has stature and standing, not only in basketball, but across sports and across the world.

"On the back of our most successful Olympics in 100 years, we would be expecting to ride the crest of that wave for the next four years.

 

"Without our major player, the impact on sponsorship, marketing, event management would be massive."

 

British Basketball have commissioned a series of independent medical tests in London, New York and Chicago to try to get Met Life to reconsider their position.

Spice said: "We have had Luol scanned by UK Sport's chief medical officer in London, by another doctor in London and we have a couple of radiologists' reports.

"The reports tell us he is not at any greater risk than any other person of his height playing basketball.

 

"The word that is used is 'unremarkable.'

 

"He has a bulging, herniated disc but so do many of us and many of Luol's peers."

 

One hope for British Basketball could be senior officials in the NBA helping plead their case.

 

They are desperate for the sport to establish a proper foothold in Britain and believe that the Olympics gives them a once-in-a-lifetime to achieve that.

 

They could be assisted by Nike, who sponsor Deng, and who earlier this week launched a poster campaign across Britian tied to London 2012 using his image.

 

To read the full article visit http://www.basketball247.co.uk/news/archives/00000169.shtml.