The Hindu : Sport / Shooting : Teams stranded

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, May 18, 2006

Sport

Sport - Shooting

Teams stranded

Sports Reporter

NEW DELHI: Rifle and pistol shooters vying for Olympic quota places at the World Cups in Munich and Milan have got stranded here for want of Government clearance.

The European Division of the Ministry of External Affairs has held up the clearance on the argument that it had not received any information about the events from the Indian Embassy in Berlin.

A 22-member team along with five officials was scheduled to leave for Munich on May 20. "So far there is no sanction to our team from the Union Government. Further we will have to apply for visas to the German Embassy here. We have run out of time," said the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) Secretary, Rajiv Bhatia.

The Munich World Cup is scheduled from May 22 to 29. From Munich, the team was to reach Italy for the Milan World Cup (May 30 to June 5). The Indian shooters are in for a big disappointment if they are held up due to non-clearance by the Government.

Three through

So far, three shooters have earned quota places — Gagan Narang in 10m air rifle, Anjali Bhagwat in the three-position rifle event and Manavjit Singh in trap.

A 37-member junior shooting team, headed for Suhl, Germany, is also held up for want of clearance from the Government.

"We have delayed junior shooters' departure by one day (in the hope of getting clearance), but the team will have to spend one day at Mumbai airport," said Mr. Bhatia.

The shotgun shooters may also find the going tough since Suhl is the venue for a shotgun World Cup event from June 6 to 15. Currently the team is in Egypt for the Cairo World Cup. The team reached there from the U.S.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail