No visas to shooters: Pakistan goes to IOC, ISSF

Vinayak Padmadeo
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, February 20

Pakistan’s National Rifle Shooting Federation (NRSF) has started to ramp up the pressure on the Indian organisers after two of their shooters were denied visas to visit India for the ISSF World Cup, which gets underway here on February 23.

It was earlier reported that the two shooters — GM Bashir and Khalil Ahmed — had been issued visas, but NRSF revealed that the visas had not been received until Wednesday. It is understood that the visas were not cleared in the aftermath of the Pulwama terror attack.

NRSF has written to the International Olympic Committee (IOC), ISSF and the organisers, requesting them to not disburse Olympics quota places in the 25m Rapid Fire competition, in which Bashir and Ahmed were to take part.

ISSF secretary general Alexander Ratner told The Tribune that they are waiting for any direction that may come from IOC. “They (NRSF) want quotas to be transferred to the next World Cup, to be held in Beijing,” Ratner said.

Asked if ISSF was willing to transfer the quotas, he said: “We don’t have the authority to take such a decision. The Olympic qualification process is decided by IOC. We know that Pakistan National Rifle Association and their Olympic Committee are in contact with IOC. I believe IOC is also in contact with the Indian Olympic Association. We don’t know but we presume it is regarding this visa issue only. By tomorrow morning we will know for sure about this situation.”

Veiled threat

Meanwhile, ISSF said its executive is discussing consequences for India as host for future competitions.

“The ISSF and the Organising Committee of the competition are taking all efforts to solve the situation to avoid the discrimination of the Pakistani team,” an ISSF statement said.

“Besides that, the ISSF and the Organising Committee are discussing the possible consequences for India as a host country for future international competitions, in all sports,” it added.

‘Unfortunate’

Raninder Singh, president of National Rifle Association of India and an ISSF vice-president, said: “It is unfortunate that the team for whatever reasons has not been granted visas despite all our efforts. However, the format of the competition has not been changed.”

“What other consequences follow based on the decision of the Government of India on this issue, we will see when it comes up,” he added. “Why speculate and comment now?”