Christy calls for government support to save All England Championships

Badminton England chief executive Adrian Christy believes next year's All England Championships is under threat and has called for government support to ensure it can go ahead.

Christy has requested financial support to the tune of £1million in order to protect the tournament, which is one of the most prestigious and oldest in the sport.

The event, which is scheduled to go ahead from March 17-21 in Birmingham, has been held since 1899.

The plea comes after the UK Government once again banned spectators at sporting events amid a host of tighter restrictions brought in to combat the rise in COVID-19 cases.

"Given the unprecedented times we continue to live in, we have planned for a number of scenarios as it has become increasingly clear that the 2021 Championships could come under threat," Christy said.

"The Government announcement means that we must prepare for the fact that fans may not be able to attend if things do not improve over the next six months.

"My number one priority has to be sustainability of Badminton England, particularly at this time, and the All England Championships is a major part of our economy."

Sportsbeat 2020