Commonwealth Games Federation insists on excluding shooting from Birmingham

Tue, Aug 13, 2019
By publisher
2 MIN READ

Sports

COMMONWEALTH Games Federation (CGF) President Louise Martin says the shooting sport will not be part of the 2022 Games in Birmingham.

This insistence is in spite of a threat by India to boycott the entire event in protest.

Martin told the media in Britain that the decision to exclude shooting from the programme for the first time since 1974 had come down to a question of logistics.

Shooting has been a high-yielding discipline for India with shooters accounting for 16 of the country’s 66 medals, including seven gold at the 2018 Gold Coast Games.

Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president Narinder Batra has suggested that the country should boycott the Birmingham Games in protest at the decision.

He had last month sought approval from sports minister Kiren Rijiju for the move.

“A sport has to earn the right to be in the Games,” Martin said.

“Shooting has never been a compulsory sport. We have to work through it but shooting will not be in the Games. We have no space anymore.”

The IOA could not immediately be reached for comment.

It was reported that Birmingham’s offer to hold two shooting events had been turned down by the International Shooting Sport Federation, which wanted a full programme.

The closest facility to Birmingham deemed capable by organisers of hosting a full shooting programme was in Bisley, Surrey, about 209 km (130 miles) away.

Martin, according to reports, would try and meet officials on the Indian side and also intended to speak to Britain’s sports minister, Nigel Adams. (Reuters/NAN)

– Aug. 13, 2019 @ 11:09 GMT |

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