The Hindu : Sport / Shooting : Anxious moments for team

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Apr 29, 2005

Sport

Sport - Shooting

Anxious moments for team

Sports Reporter

NEW DELHI: An Indian junior shooting team is spending anxious nights here, unsure of its trip to Suhl, Germany, for an international competition beginning on May 3. Earlier a senior team had to cancel its participation in the World Cup at Fort Benning, near Atlanta, US, since the clearance from the Union Government was delayed.

The 27-member junior team was originally scheduled to leave for Germany on Friday night, but it has still not received the clearance from the Union Sports Ministry. Hence the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) has delayed its departure.

"The German Embassy is asking for the letter of government sanction for the tour so that visas could be issued without going through usual procedures," said the NRAI Secretary, Rajiv Bhatia, on Thursday.

With sports federations sending proposals for foreign trips just 15-20 days from the date of departure, the Sports Ministry is struggling to cope with the demands. Added to this is the latest stipulation that all such tours should be cleared by none other than the External Affairs Minister himself. Earlier, a Secretary-level officer in the MEA would clear the proposal put up by the Ministry of Sports.

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