“It would be a catastrophe” – Basketball Austria warns of budget cuts

The federal government’s ongoing budget negotiations are also causing great concern in Austrian basketball. The latest savings have already forced the local basketball association to reset priorities and scale back individual measures.

Further cuts would now have far-reaching consequences – in the performance and youth sectors. “The cuts to date have already forced the Austrian Basketball Association to realign its priorities and limit activities in some areas. A further reduction in funding would mean the end of competitions, teams and employees. This would destroy structures that have been laboriously built up,” says Basketball Austria President Helmut Niederhofer. These cannot be rebuilt straight away.

Example 3×3

Niederhofer gives the example “3×3 School Jam Competition” to: “This year more than 3,200 children and young people are taking part. If you cancel the second largest school competition behind the school football league for a few years and then want to start again, you would probably start with 400 or 500 participants. That would be a catastrophe.” The association appeals to politicians not to further tighten the austerity measures in sport.