Seven sports fail to reverse Tokyo 2020 funding cuts

Seven sports that lost all public funding ahead of Tokyo 2020 have had their appeals to UK Sport rejected.

The governing bodies of archery, badminton, fencing, goalball, table tennis, weightlifting and wheelchair rugby had urged UK Sport to reconsider the decision made in December last year.

All seven sports appealed the decision at a UK Sport board meeting earlier this month, but none were successful.

The chairman of UK Sport, Rod Carr, said he understood the decision would be "disappointing" but that UK Sport were operating in a "tight financial envelope" and sadly could not fund everything.

Former badminton player and British Olympic silver medallist Gail Emms said she was "gutted" by UK Sport's decision.

"As a sport we are absolutely devastated because we are going to lose a lot of talented youngsters as a result of this decision," she said.

The CEO of UK Sport, Liz Nicholl, said: "This is the first time that we have been unable to support every sport that has athletes with the potential to deliver medals at the next Games.

"To support those affected, we have put in place a comprehensive transition and support package and are working closely with these sports to help staff and athletes move out of UK Sport funding."

Sports can choose to formally appeal through Sport Resolutions UK, but this would only examine UK Sport's decision-making process, not the decision itself.

The future relationship between the affected sports and UK Sport will be discussed at a board meeting next month.