Great Britain at the 2016 Summer Olympics in recent history to win more medals at the Games following being the host nation. Four sports, basketball, synchronised swimming, water polo, and weightlifting, initially had all their funding withdrawn, while swimming and badminton had their funding cut. Following an appeal process weightlifting had its funding restored. The Sport and Recreation Alliance, an umbrella body that represents national sports organisations in Britain, raised concerns about how the Scottish independence referendum, which took place on 18 September 2014, would affect sport funding and recognition issues for Scottish athletes who aim to compete at the Olympic Games. Nick Skelton, the show jumper,
Great Britain at the Olympics had never competed in Olympic volleyball with the exception of the women's team participating in the inaugural Beach volleyball tournament in 1996. Great Britain hosted the only Olympic water motorsports contests, in 1908. Great Britain at the Olympics Athletes from the United Kingdom, all but three of its overseas territories, and the three Crown dependencies, compete in the Olympic Games as part of the team Great Britain or Team GB. It has sent athletes to every Summer and Winter Games, along with France and Switzerland, since the start of the Olympics' modern era in 1896, including the 1980 and 1984