National Rifle Association of India happy with apology

The National Rifle Association of India has expressed satisfaction after the organising committee of the Dorset (United Kingdom) World Cup apologised over the alleged harassment of Indian shooters.

“They apologised after we lodged a protest with the International Sports Shooting Federation (ISSF). An apology has also been received by the government through our High Commission there as the contingent had taken up the issue with them,” said NRAI secretary-general Baljit Singh Sethi.

Team manager M Padmanabhan had written to the High Commissioner in London saying that trap shooter Manavjit Singh Sandhu was insulted by a local official named Mike, who then ensured that the bus left without the marksman despite protests from the rest of the contingent.

“The man who insulted our shooters was a local manager appointed by the organisers. He was not in charge of the bus, which incidentally we had hired on recommendation of the organisers. He had no business to come into the picture over a trivial matter of Manavjit not boarding it in time,” said an agitated Sethi.

“This is not the first time the shooting contingent has been insulted in such fashion in the United Kingdom. During the Manchester Commonwealth Games (in 2002), we were discriminated against in the lunch room but we chose not to complain. I feel it is a clear case of jealousy after Indian shooters have started doing so well, probably even deliberate attempts to spoil their concentration,” he added.

Manavjit seemed to agree with Sethi as he said from London that the incident was likely to affect their performance.

“Shooting is a mental game and Indian shooters may not be able to do so well here. The organisers made counter allegations saying we had misbehaved with a woman driver but even she has refuted the claims,” said Manavjit.