British handball players will compete at the Olympics for the first time during the London 2012 Games, it was announced today.
After months of frustration - including funding cuts and being forced to prove they are competitive - the men's and women's teams have won approval to use the reserved home nation qualification spots.
The British Olympic Association had insisted the sport must show it could "deliver a credible performance" in the Olympics and provide a long-term strategy to bolster itself at all levels beyond 2012.
Many British athletes expect to qualify on merit without having to endure the tense wait for a possible home nation qualification. Contests such as the World Championships this year will act as qualification events.
BOA chief executive and Team GB chef de mission Andy Hunt said he was confident 2012 will be "a springboard for growth and capture public interest and imagination".
The sport had its funding cut in January 2009, prompting fears a team would not be fielded in London. It received £2.99million over the previous three years but saw this reduced to £1.448million for the next four.
Its London funding was cut by UK Sport because of a £50million budget shortfall after a government campaign failed to land private backing. Other programmes were introduced in a bid to fill the gap.
Women's team member Dani Sposi, of Ruislip Eagles, said she was pleased the BOA saw the team as "a credible group of athletes".
