Basketball is one of several sports pushing the IOC for more places at the London 2012 Olympics, asking for an extra four teams to be allowed to compete in the men's tournament taking the total back to 16.

 

In an interview published on Heinnews, Baumann said: "It’s very difficult.

 

"We are obviously lobbying hard.

 

"But it’s difficult.

 

"You some times have to put yourself in the shoes of the others.

 

"It’s very easy for us to say we need four more teams.

 

"We deserve it.

 

"We have done our duties and now it’s time to be rewarded.
 

"Yes, but at the same time we have to consider that the Olympic Games is much bigger than us.

 

"It’s much bigger than just basketball.

 

"Of course we have been an extraordinary part of the success of the Olympic Games.

 

"But we also take a share of the money out of it.

 

"So we get something in return.

 

"We get exposure.

 

"We then earn on the back of that exposure as we can sign a deal with a sponsor.

 

"So the Olympics already do bring something to us.

 

"To be honest, it’s not just a one-way street where we bring the best and that’s it."
 

Basketball made its official debut at the 1936 Olympics in Berlin when 23 teams competed, making it the biggest tournament of the Games.

 

The same number of teams entered at London in 1948 and Helsinki in 1952 and 15 in Melbourne in 1956.

 

A pre-Olympic qualifying tournament was held before the 1960 Olympics in Rome when 16 teams were allowed to compete.

 

That figure dropped to 12 at Montreal in 1976 when a women's tournament was introduced.

 

Baumann now wants the figure restored to 16 but realises he faces a challenge for that to happen.

 

More than 448,000 spectators attended the basketball tournament during the Olympics last year in Beijing and more than 10 million people in America watched the the eventual gold medallists United States match against China on television despite the early morning start.

 

 

Baumann said: "From their [the IOC] perspective there’s the problem that handball wants more, that volleyball wants more, that swimming wants more disciplines.

 

"They can’t figure out how to block the quotas for athletics because the qualifications make sure that they always go beyond the quotas.
 

"And there is a very precise limit where there are simply no more beds in the Olympic Village.

 

"And we go to London, knowing there are restrictions economically and there is a small Olympic Village planned. So there may be problems anyhow.

"We may be only asking for 48 players.

 

"But that is an issue as well.
 

"And the biggest issue is why basketball and not others.

 

"That’s always very hard psychologically to then go to the other presidents for the federations and say, 'We’re gonna go to basketball and tough luck for you'.

 

"I was elected a member of the IOC, which already created an issue - why did they select someone from basketball and not others.
 

"So, anyway, we are hopeful, but I think the IOC needs to change their minds on these quotas on athletes.

 

"That doesn’t work.

 

"They have to review the quota depending on the individual sport and how much it actually brings to the Olympic Games.

 

"And therefore they will have to make a judgment call on each of the 26 sports.