Aussie basketball to review travel discrimination

Australia's basketball governing body will review its travel policy after being criticised for flying their men's team to the London Olympics in business class but putting their women's team in economy class.

The different travel arrangements were slammed by Australian media and politicians called for the teams to receive equal treatment.

"We should bear in mind that in fact, historically, more funding has been directed towards the Opals," Basketball Australia's acting chief executive Scott Derwin said in a statement.

"But the simple fact is when a policy results in gender inequality, it's very clearly not the right policy going forward.

"I am putting in place a review of our Olympic travel policy with the goal of ensuring there is equity between travel arrangements for the men's and women's teams attending future Olympics.

"Part of this review will include consultations with the Opals, the Boomers, and the Australian Olympic Committee."

Australia's women's basketball team, dubbed the Opals, have won silver at the past three Olympics, while their male counterparts have never medalled.

The criticism came in the wake of a controversy over travel arrangements for Japan's football Olympians, whose world champion women also flew to London in coach as opposed to the less successful men's team, who flew business class.