Tokyo 2020: Badminton England says funding cut 'could end careers'

Marcus Ellis and Chris Langridge won men's doubles bronze at Rio 2016, ensuring badminton hit UK Sport's target

UK Sport's decision to remove its funding from badminton could end the careers of Olympic medallists, says Badminton England's chief executive.

Adrian Christy, who said the national governing body would appeal, said the "catastrophic" change risks "closing down the British badminton programme".

UK Sport has also stopped funding archery, fencing, wheelchair rugby and weightlifting for the Tokyo 2020 cycle.

British Weightlifting said it would also appeal against the decision.

UK Sport CEO Liz Nicholl said decisions on the amount of money each sport received were made "to protect and enhance the medal potential".

• UK Sport announces funding levels for Tokyo 2020

• Cut 'gives young players no chance'

Of the four Olympic sports and one Paralympic sport to lose all funding, only badminton - which received £5.74m in the last cycle - delivered a medal during the summer.

Marcus Ellis and Chris Langridge won bronze in the men's doubles, ensuring badminton met its UK Sport target of one medal.

Christy told BBC Sport: "Those two athletes on the basis of this decision could have their careers ended from 1 April next year. What kind of example does that set?

"To not have the opportunity to improve on Rio and have it all taken off us is going to take several weeks to understand.

"The decision presents a catastrophic impact on the sport. We have to appeal. We're now going to have youngsters seriously thinking 'what would I go into a sport like badminton for if I can't achieve my Olympic dreams?'"

GB Weightlifting was "shocked and devastated" at the decision to strip it of £1.7m, while Archery GB said the removal of its funding was "in line with our expectations".

Nicholl added: "With each of the sports affected we have a commitment to see their transition out of funding is supported.

"They have got medal potential, they have progressed as sports, but we cannot reach to funding them for Tokyo. Conversations are going on with those sports."

UK Sport allocates money raised through the National Lottery and government contributions.

It has spread £345m across 31 Olympic and Paralympic sports for Tokyo 2020, a fall of £2m from Rio 2016.

Great Britain won 67 Olympic medals in Rio, and 147 at the Paralympics.

UK Sport has set targets of 51-85 Olympic medals and 115-162 Paralympic medals for Tokyo.

Marcus Ellis and Chris Langridge voiced their surprise at the loss of funding on Twitter