Big bore event probables, who were to leave for the trials in London, postpone plan; rifles still to arrive.
India’s big bore rifle shooters’ preparation for the Commonwealth Games was dealt a blow on Wednesday, when four of the seven-member team failed to get their visas on time from the United Kingdom embassy.
The team, which includes coach-cum-manager TS Dhillon, were to leave for London on Wednesday, but were left with no option but to postpone their tour till next week.
During the one-week stint in London, the six-member team was supposed to be trimmed down to two shooters, who will represent India at CWG and Asian Games. To make matters worse, shooters are still waiting for the new rifles to arrive.
“I was co-ordinating the procedure, but since four boys were going to the UK for the first time, they didn’t get the visas. Myself, Major Amit Khanna and Sushil Ghale got it,” said Dhillon.
Praveen Dahiya, Devesh, Pradeep Kumar and Kushal Singh were the ones, who failed to get visas on time.
When DNA contacted National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) secretary Rajeev Bhatia, he said that NRAI’s job is to grant letters and not to apply for visas. “It is the shooters’ job to apply for it. I have no idea why their visas were rejected,” Bhatia said.
According to the original schedule, the team was supposed to train from September 1 to 6.
“We have spoken to the UK authorities and have managed to get new dates that will start from September 9 to 15,” said Dhillon.
On the issue of shooters not getting their weapons on time, Dhillon said that the rifles were ordered by the SAI and it will take 10 more days to reach. “We will get the rifles in another 10 days, and I don’t think it’s late. They will practice in UK and then in India,” he said.
NRAI, who announced the Indian squad on Wednesday, delayed the announcement of the big bore team as the shooters didn’t get the weapons on time.
“They had a plan to attend the camp in the UK and practice there with borrowed weapons, but now that they haven’t got their visas it will be postponed till they get the visas,” said national coach Sunny Thomas.
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