Canadian NBA stars' inclusion in Olympics past Paris at risk without further funding, says CEO

The Canadian men's basketball team qualified for the 2024 Olympic Games led by a clutch of homegrown NBA stars.

But that success could be short-lived, with the Canadian Olympic and Paralympic committees, along with national sports organizations like Canada Basketball, speaking out about federal funding shortfalls that could impact which athletes attend future games.

"If we continue to rely on overstretched, under-resourced national sports organizations who fund and support these athletes on these journeys to the podium, if we continue to overstretch them and make more and more demands and don't increase their funding, then it's just not sustainable," said David Shoemaker, the COC's chief executive officer in an interview with The Canadian Press.

The groups are requesting an additional $104 million in funding from the federal government.

The two committees insist an increase to Canadian sport system funding is "urgently needed" for NSOs to continue their core work of supporting athletes, provincial federations and clubs across the country.

Shoemaker added that national sports bodies have had new demands placed on them, such as safe sport policies, with no change to funding levels since 2005.

Shoemaker said the government and Olympic and Paralympic committees have been discussing this issue for years, but with the games starting in four-and-a-half months, he felt it was necessary to share the concerns raised.

"Something's got to give," he said. "I can't imagine how we could continue to expect the inspirational Canadian performances at the Olympic and Paralympic Games if something doesn't change."

Federal sports minister Carla Qualtrough had not yet returned a request for comment.

Among those inspirational performances is