Commonwealth Games Federation undecided on adding Shooting Championships medals to 2022 medals tally

New Delhi: The Commonwealth Games Federation on Monday made it clear that it’s yet to decide on whether the medals won during the proposed Commonwealth Shooting Championships in India will be added to the respective countries’ final tally of 2022 Birmingham CWG. [caption id=“attachment_7825541” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Representational photo. Reuters[/caption] CGF’s clarification came after the International Shooting Federation (ISSF) claimed that the medals won in the proposed championships will be counted in the final tally of the 2022 Birmingham CWG, in line with the proposal made by the Indian Olympic Association. “The CGF can confirm that it has now officially received a proposal from Commonwealth Games India (CGI) to host a Commonwealth shooting event and potentially an archery event in India during 2022, the year of the XXII Commonwealth Games,” CGF CEO David Grevemberg said. “The proposal will be reviewed and considered in January and February by the CGF and discussed with Birmingham 2022 Delivery Partners. Key aspects of this assessment will be to ensure that the proposal conforms with our rules and regulations, is operationally deliverable, sets manageable precedents for the Commonwealth Games and ultimately adds value to athletes and the Commonwealth Sports Movement,” he added. The CGF CEO acknowledged that the proposals for hosting the shooting and archery championships were supported by the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI), the Government of India, the International Shooting Sport Federation and World Archery. “Finally, we would like to thank the CGI, the NRAI, the Government of India and the entire sporting community of India for their leadership and significant efforts taken to submit an innovative proposal with the ambition of strengthening Commonwealth Sport.” The IOA while submitting a formal proposal to host the shooting event had stated that the medals won in the championships should be added to the country’s final tally of the 2022 Commonwealth Games. In a surprise move, the IOA also decided to send a proposal to host a Commonwealth Championships in archery, along with that of shooting, after getting approval from its General Body during its annual meeting on 30 December. The ISSF, which had earlier supported the IOA’s proposal to host the championships, said on its website that “a solution that will finally resolve the issues surrounding the Commonwealth Games 2022 has been found” after a year of negotiations with the CGF. “Medals won in these competitions, will be counted in the medal standings of the countries participating in the Games,” the ISSF claimed in the statement. “Throughout 2019 the ISSF leadership proposed several options for the return of Shooting Sports to the 2022 Games programme. Following a meeting in Munich in December 2019 between the ISSF President Vladimir Lisin and CGF President Dame Louise Martin, it was agreed that India will commit to hosting shooting competitions. This decision is also fully supported by both the Government of India and the National Rifle Association of India,” it added. The ISSF added: “World records, in events recognised by the ISSF, will be recorded both in qualifications and finals. “The ISSF will guarantee full compliance with the rules and regulations of the Shooting Sport and provide all the necessary technical support. In addition it was proposed to expand the competition program by including 4 Mixed Team events, 3 of which are already included in the program for Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.