British Basketball has been handed a boost after UK Sport revealed that participation levels would be considered ahead of any future funding decisions.
The organisation will still invest primarily in sports that offer Great Britain a better chance of medal success, but for the first time they will take into account a number of wider factors.
Basketball's funding was stopped last year, with synchronised swimming and water polo also seeing funds cut ahead of Rio 2016.
"I am pleased that UK Sport is open to taking the broader value of its investment into account in its funding decisions," BBC Sport quotes Minister for Sport Helen Grant as saying.
Basketball is played by nearly 218,000 people each week and is the second biggest team sport among 14 to 16-year-olds.
