Badminton England chief launches petition following UK Sport funding cut

Adrian Christy, the chief executive of badminton+England'>Badminton England, has launched a petition calling for a government response after the sport lost all its UK Sport funding ahead of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

At time of writing, the petition has garnered just over 11,000 online signatures after being established yesterday (15 December).

A parliamentary petition requires 100,000 signatures before government will issue a response.

Christy “urged” sports fans to sign the petition and lobby their local MP “so we can save the future of badminton”.

“The ramifications of UK Sport’s decision are enormous not just for the elite end of the sport but for the grassroots who make up the heartbeat of badminton right across the UK,” he said.

“GB badminton stars have demonstrated they can compete with the best in the world and have the world-class talent to do so again in Tokyo.”

UK Sport decided to cut the sport’s full £5.7m (US$7.2m, €6.8m) funding package that it received for the Rio Olympic cycle despite Team GB pair Chris Langridge and Marcus Ellis winning an unexpected bronze at the Games.

The governing body has lodged an appeal.

To sign the petition, click here.