Amidst the call to boycott ICC World Cup cricket game against Pakistan on June 16 in Manchester, bad news struck the Indian sporting authorities. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) on Thursday decided to scrap all 16 quota places for 2020 Tokyo Olympics, which were on offer at the Shooting World Cup in New Delhi.
The decision, which is likely to be announced early on Friday (as per IST), was taken in the wake of Indian government’s decision to deny visas to three-member Pakistan shooting contingent.
DNA reported two days back on how the Indian High Commission first confirmed visas on phone to the Pakistan National Rifle Federation (PNRA) secretary Razi Ahmed before calling him again to deny the same.
The International Shooting Sports Federation (ISSF) president Vladimir Lisin announced during the opening ceremony of the Shooting WC: “Bad news is that Pakistan have not been granted visas for this WC and according to IOC Charter, there should be no discrimination. IOC has informed us that no quotas will be distributed at this WC event because Pakistan not getting visas. IOC has asked us to distribute the Olympic quotas at different World Cup.”
NRAI president Raninder Singh on the other hand is hoping against hope to somehow salvage the ongoing event.
“We have a situation where according to the IOC there has been a violation of the Olympic Charter as visas to two athletes and one manager from Pakistan were denied their visas.
“The organising committee on its behalf made every effort and sought and received from government of India who had the best of intentions. The athletes in question compete in one event. We still do not know the concrete position of the Olympic committee. The president of ISSF is in discussion with the Olympic committee,” said NRAI president.
Raninder understands that without quota places on offer, the WC event will be reduced to just like any other event where shooters may not put their 100 per cent efforts.
“We are hopeful to find a resolution to the unfortunate situation that we are faced. We hope that some form of solution will be forthcoming in the next few hours, maximum within the day where the honour of the sports, the dignity of the Olympic Charter and requirements of us as host nation the role we want to play can come soon,” was all that he had to offer.
A final media release from IOC will come at the mid-night (India time) as the meeting has been going on.
“Nothing is cancelled as of now. The status as of now is we don’t know. We are waiting. There are meetings that are going on where the position is being assessed by the IOC and the government. Everyone is working very hard but it is very peculiar position. It is very unprecedented scenario and it is unfortunate,” said Raninder.
Two Pakistani shooters — GM Bashir and Khalil Ahmed — were to compete in only two quota place — men’s 25m Rapid Fire — events. This came only a day after PNRA wrote to world federation to withdraw the Olympic quota places on offer in India.
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