We want to express our protest for removing shooting by boycotting 2022 CWG, says IOA

In its Executive Board meeting last month, the Commonwealth Games Federation left out shooting from the 2022 Birmingham Games while recommending the inclusion of three new sports. Initially, the IOA pulled out of the CGF’s General Assembly to be held in Rwanda in September, to protest this move. 

Now, in an unprecedented move, the IOA has written to the government for approval on the proposed boycott of the Games. 

“We want to express our protest by not taking part in 2022 CWG in the UK to make the CWG understand that India is not prepared to take India bashing anymore and the people with a particular mindset in CWG need to understand that India got its Independence in 1947 and India is not a colony of anyone anymore and is now the fifth largest economy in the world and by far the fastest growing economy in the world,” the IOA chief said in the letter.

The IOA president said that the CGF leadership had an ‘India bashing mindset’, and try to change the rules whenever the country does well at the Games.

“We have been noticing over a period of time that wherever India seems to be getting grip of the game and performing well, then somehow we find that either the goal posts are shifted or rules are changed. We feel it is time for us in IOA/India to start asking tough questions and start taking tough positions,” he said.

Batra admitted that the IOA cannot take such a big call by itself and hence requested the minister for an early meeting to discuss the proposal. 

“We realise and understand that such decisions have to be taken by keeping in mind the political sensitivities (sic) and we in the IOA are not the experts in the field and that is why we vide through this letter seek appointment for IOA President along with IOA office bearers and few other members to meet with your good self to deliberate further on the issue of the proposed boycott of 2022 CWG by India.”

The decision to leave out shooting has dealt a big blow to India which had won as many as 16 medals out of 66 in the 2018 Gold Coast CWG. The sport has featured in every Commonwealth Games since 1966 with the exception of Edinburgh 1970. However, the CGF has always held shooting as an optional sport on which the host nation could have the final say.