CWG body pulls plug on 2022 shooting, archery meet in Chandigarh

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, July 2

The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) has cancelled the 2022 Commonwealth Archery and Shooting Championships citing “uncertainty created by the ongoing global pandemic”. The statement by the CGF has caught Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president Narinder Batra and National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) chief Raninder Singh on a sticky wicket as the duo led the calls to boycott the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games after shooting was dropped from the Games programme.

“We are disappointed that the 2022 Commonwealth Archery and Shooting Championships will no longer take place however, this is the right decision to take in the current climate,” CGF president Dame Louise Martin said in a statement.

The shooting and archery championships were a contentious issue within the IOA ever since the announcement of the standalone events in India by the CGF. Despite Batra stating that the medals won at the Indian events will be part of the medals tally of the 2022 Games, a top source had clarified to The Tribune last year that the medals won in Chandigarh would not be added to the main tally of the Birmingham Games.

Even last month, Batra had to face the ire of the IOA executive when the CGF informed that the medals won at the standalone events will not be part of the main tally.

IOA secretary general Rajeev Mehta had then sought the opinion of the executive members whether to go ahead with the meets.

The latest development has once again opened a new front within the IOA, with vice-president Sudhanshu Mittal targeting Batra for failing to deliver on his promise.

“We don’t actually know what transpired between the CGF and Mr Batra. I can only assume that today’s development is a direct reaction of him falling out with the CGF top officials,” Mittal said.

“CGF’s statement about cancelling the meet is also surprising but to be honest this is a sad day for Indian sports,” he added.

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