GRASSROOTS sport could lose a generation of talent to the impact of coronavirus, Badminton England chief executive Adrian Christy warned yesterday.

Indoor sports have largely been without playing spaces during the crisis, with many venues yet to reopen.

Sports including badminton, netball, wheelchair rugby and basketball are now coming together to appeal for financial support to stop leisure centres sacrificing indoor sports halls for overflow gyms.

It is expected that two thirds of indoor facilities will remain unusable into the autumn.

Christy said: “We risk losing a generation of top-class athletes by not allowing them to return to sport right now.”

He claimed it was safe for badminton and other sports to return, but that with so many faciities still unavailable only 20 per cent of clubs were back in action.

“We’re asking the government to work with us, find a way to incentivise operators or local authorities or school sites, to get facilities open,” he said, referencing efforts to get people into restaurants and high-street shops.

“Too big a part of the population is currently being left behind.”