In a move that could severely dent India’s medal prospects at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, organisers have decided to scrap shooting from the list of sports for the event, Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) chief executive David Grevemberg confirmed on Friday.
“We know they (Birmingham organisers) considered all optional sports carefully, but a final decision was reached,” Grevemberg wrote in an open letter to the editor of Britain’s Shooting Times, reported Reuters.
“The CGF has awarded the Games supporting these plans and consequently shooting will not feature at the 2022 Commonwealth Games,” he added.
Grevemberg further stated that CGF president is likely to meet shooting’s world governing body, the ISSF, to discuss future plans.
The nearest Olympic-standard shooting range to Birmingham is in Surrey, which is about 250 kilometres away. The distance in question had forced the organisers to keep shooting out of its shortlist.
This will be the first time since Edinburgh 1970 that shooting will not feature at a Commonwealth Games.
India have won 56 gold, 40 silver and 22 bronze medals in the sport and lie second in the all-time charts behind Australia.