Kiren Rijiju pens letter to UK Sport Minister to request inclusion of shooting in CWG 2022
Kiren Rijiju has written to the Sports Minister of Britain, the hosts of the next edition of the Commonwealth Games, to seek her intervention to reinstate shooting as a part of the sporting extravaganza. He further stated the steps taken by IOA to protest the same and the support received from ISSF.
India’s Sports Minister in the country’s latest effort to have shooting as a part of the 2022 Commonwealth Games has sent a letter to Nicky Morgan, the UK Minister for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, to seek his co-operation for the same. The country has already taken multiple steps previously, such as filing requests with the CWG President and CEO, and proclaimed publically that it might boycott the event if their request is not complied with.
“I am writing this letter to seek your personal intervention to get the sport of shooting included in the Commonwealth Games, 2022, scheduled to be held at Birmingham, UK. Unfortunately, at present India is not represented in the Commonwealth Games Executive Council and in the Functional Committees of Commonwealth Games. Therefore, it could not put forward its case for continuing inclusion of shooting in Birmingham CWG 2022,” the letter from Kiren Rijiju read, reported TOI.
The National Rifle Association of India and the Indian Olympic Association had both raised concerns once it was announced that shooting will be excluded from the Games in Birmingham, with the latter holding a meeting with Rijiju recently to inform him of the recent ongoings and request his help in the matter.
“The IOA, as a protest, has withdrawn from participation in CWG General Assembly and decided to abstain from certain CGA Executive Board Resolutions," Rijiju added.
International Shooting Sport Federation, the global governing body for shooting, has come forward to help India’s and more particularly the sport’s cause by agreeing to partially fund the expenses incurred on the game. This was done considering CWG Federation's President, Louise Martin had cited logistical reasons for removing shooting from the 2022 Games.
"In a constructive gesture, the International Shooting Federation has offered to share the cost of inclusion of shooting in Birmingham CWG, 2022,” Rijiju’s letter stated.
Shooting has been included in the multisport international meet for each of its editions since 1974, with India’s major share of the medals coming from it. Last time around, the country won as many as 16 medals in the game held at the Gold Coast Down Under.
