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Shooting League of India: NRAI Announces First-Ever Franchise-Based LeagueThe National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) has unveiled plans for the "Shooting League of India," the country's first-ever franchise-based league for the sport. The proposal, spearheaded by NRAI president Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo, has been approved by the federation's governing body.The league's inaugural edition is scheduled for March, pending approval from the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF). Deo expressed his enthusiasm for the initiative, stating that the recent success of Indian shooters at the Paris Olympics has fueled its popularity."We believe that this is the right moment to launch a league," Deo said. "Franchise leagues have proven successful in popularizing sports, attracting new audiences, and generating revenue for athletes."The league aims to enhance the sport's self-sustainability and provide a platform for athletes to showcase their skills. At the Paris Olympics, Indian shooters made history by winning three medals in a single sport for the first time.Deo acknowledged the challenges of adapting shooting for television, but expressed confidence in the league's format. "We have deliberated extensively and feel that we have arrived at a winning formula," he said.The league's launch is expected to further elevate the profile of shooting in India and provide a boost to the sport's development. It will also offer a unique opportunity for fans to engage with the sport and its athletes.

Manu Bhaker's coach, Jaspal Rana, has vehemently criticized the National Rifle Association of India's (NRAI) "ever-changing" Olympic selection policy. Rana believes that the lack of consistency has hindered the progress of promising shooters and will continue to do so if not addressed.Rana, a three-time Asiad gold medalist, questioned the federation's tendency to make last-minute policy changes and its refusal to acknowledge the role of personal coaches. He cited the examples of Saurabh Chaudhary and Jitu Rai, who faded away after showing great promise."The selection policy changes every six months," Rana said. "We need a clear and consistent policy that we can stick to."Rana also expressed concern about the lack of protection for Olympic and world medalists. He noted that Bhaker, despite winning two medals in Paris, will have to fight for a place in the national squad upon her return from a break."We don't see Olympic medalists after one or two Olympics because there is no system to protect them," Rana said. "They should be allowed to compete in every trial."Rana emphasized the importance of collaboration between personal and national coaches. He believes that one person should take the lead, but there should be mutual understanding.Bhaker thanked Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president PT Usha for ensuring that Rana could assist her in Paris. She said that Usha's support was crucial in her success.Rana's criticism highlights the need for a stable and transparent selection policy that supports the development of shooters and ensures their long-term success.

Asian Games gold medalist Ronjan Sodhi has expressed concerns about the preparations for the Indian shooting contingent ahead of the Paris Olympics. He believes that the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) could have planned better and called for greater involvement of sportspersons in the running of the federation.Sodhi pointed out that the NRAI announced the 21-member contingent for Paris only two months before the Games, which left shooters struggling to plan their preparations and foreign exposure trips. He suggested that the announcement should have been made six months to a year in advance to give athletes ample time to prepare.The veteran marksman also criticized the lack of sportsperson representation in the NRAI panel responsible for selection matters. He believes that more athletes should be involved in decision-making to ensure that the process is fair and transparent."I think they (NRAI) must have thought about something, whether having trials at the last moment or whatever, whether there was a selection policy which was in order. I would say, there should be more sportspersons when it comes to selection matters in the whole (NRAI) panel," Sodhi said.Despite his concerns, Sodhi expressed optimism about the shooting contingent's chances in Paris. He acknowledged that the team is the largest ever and includes several talented young shooters."If you see, 21 shooters have qualified, which is the biggest (Indian) shooting contingent ever. I hope that they do well but shooting is one sport nobody can predict," he said.Sodhi emphasized that the contingent is well-trained and has a strong support team. He believes that the shooters will enter the competition with confidence, despite being relatively unknown."They are fearless, that's an advantage (with youngsters), they are the underdogs, nobody knows them. If I ask the names of the 21 shooters going to Paris, nobody would know most of their names," he said.

Paris-Bound Shooters Face Accommodation Chaos in BhopalNew Delhi: The Paris Olympics-bound Indian rifle shooters currently training in Bhopal faced significant inconvenience on Tuesday due to an administrative blunder related to their accommodation. Without prior notice, the shooters were abruptly asked to shift hotels with their luggage, given a mere 20 minutes to pack.The situation worsened when the shooters were informed that they would have to return to the same hotel on Wednesday morning. Sources close to the team revealed that the shooters were deeply upset and had complained to top National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) officials about the lack of proper organization, especially considering the importance of the national camp.The pre-Olympics camp in Bhopal commenced on July 7 and is scheduled to conclude on July 13. The team is set to depart for France on July 14. "There has been a lot of confusion regarding their accommodation from the very beginning. Today, when they returned from training around 3 pm, the shooters and support staff were told to immediately vacate and move to another hotel," said an individual familiar with the situation."Everyone was caught off guard. They had to rush and pack a lot of things. It was their time for rest, but that was lost in packing and shifting. Some of them skipped the evening gym session, while others just went through the motions. They will have to travel back to the same hotel tomorrow morning, which means another day of training will be affected," the source added.Another source pointed out that while there may have been a shortage of hotel accommodation due to the wedding season, the NRAI could have made better arrangements. A Sports Authority of India (SAI) facility is located near the shooting range. NRAI officials were unavailable for comment."It is shocking how the NRAI administration functions. Such situations take a mental toll on the shooters. They could have shifted the camp to another venue if rooms were not available," said a former shooter, requesting anonymity.A record number of 21 Indian shooters, including eight in rifle, have qualified for the Paris Olympics. The chaotic accommodation situation has raised concerns about the NRAI's ability to provide a conducive environment for the athletes' preparation.

Former Indian shooting ace Jaspal Rana has vehemently criticized the National Rifle Association of India's (NRAI) decision to send Olympic-bound shooters to the World Cup in Munich, commencing on Friday. Rana, an Asian Games gold medalist, questioned the rationale behind selecting Olympic-bound shooters for the World Cup just before the quadrennial event.Rana emphasized that the World Cup will not benefit shooters in their Olympic preparations, as it is challenging to maintain peak performance for an extended period. "No player wants to perform badly in the World Cup. But if you're at your peak now, will you be at your peak after one month also? Which sports science center will tell you that players can stay at their peak for three months? You can't stay at peak level for long," Rana asserted.He further criticized the NRAI's inconsistent policy, stating, "The policy was wrong, and when you've made the policy, just stick to it. You're not sticking to your policy. If there is no ranking and point system in the Munich World Cup, why are you delaying the names of the selected shooters for the Olympics? Even if you have to adjust one to two players, then reveal the rest of the players so that they can start their preparations."Rana suggested that India should have followed the approach adopted by other countries like China and the USA, who have sent their second-string squads to the World Cup in Germany. "Other countries have sent their B or C category squad for the World Cup. Very less Olympic-bound shooters will participate in it. This is not an opportunity for the Olympic team," he said.With less than two months remaining for the Paris Olympics, there is still no clarity on India's shooting squad for the event. Rana expressed concern about the lack of leadership within the NRAI, stating, "I've failed to understand that if NRAI doesn't have the president, chairman of the selection committee, and policy-making committee, then how are they selecting the team? It could be one of the reasons that the chairman of the NRAI selection committee is not there, that's why they're delaying the announcement."Despite the challenges, Rana remains optimistic about the Indian shooters' performance in Paris. "Yes, we were well prepared last time. This time too, our preparations are pretty well. The only thing that went wrong last time was the postponement of the Games due to Covid-19. Our team was at its peak at the time of the Olympics (as per the original schedule in 2020). After that, due to a lot of problems, we couldn't manage it properly," he said. "I'm quite positive," Rana added, expressing his belief in India's medal chances at the Paris Olympics.

The National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) is seeking clarification from the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) regarding the rules for mixed team events at the upcoming Paris Olympics. This clarification could potentially impact India's Olympic selection process.NRAI has conducted four rounds of Olympic Selection Trials (OST) to select the shooting team, but the final squad announcement is pending. The trials produced some unexpected results, with 2022 World Champion Rudrankksh Patil finishing third in the 10m air rifle event, behind Sandeep Singh and Arjun Babuta.According to NRAI's selection policy, the top two shooters in the trials automatically qualify for the Olympics. However, for mixed team events, the ISSF rule for Paris Olympics states that if the number of mixed teams entered exceeds the available firing points, the Qualification Ranking for Olympic Games (QROG) will be used to determine the final entry list.The QROG considers the combined points of both members of the mixed team in their respective individual events. Rudrankksh currently ranks second in the QROG for 10m air rifle, while Babuta is 33rd and Singh is 48th. This means that Rudrankksh, who did not qualify for the Olympics individually, could have a better chance of qualifying for the mixed team event based on his QROG ranking.NRAI has sought clarification on the number of mixed teams that will be selected and the criteria that will be followed. The association has also issued fresh Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for personal coaches who wish to accompany their wards during training in the lead-up to the Olympics.

Ahead of the crucial preparatory phase for the Paris Olympics, the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) has been actively addressing concerns raised by shooters regarding the involvement of personal coaches and participation in the upcoming ISSF Munich World Cup.Personal Coach Involvement:NRAI has held discussions with shooters to resolve issues related to the role of personal coaches in training plans. The association has emphasized the importance of personal coaches in providing moral and technical support, but has also stressed the need for a common training schedule to ensure proper monitoring of Olympic shooters.To address this, NRAI has proposed a collaborative approach where personal coaches, national coaches, the High Performance Director (HPD), and shooters work together to develop a mutually agreed-upon training program. This program will be followed in all training camps leading up to the Olympics.Munich World Cup Participation:Some shooters have expressed concerns about fatigue after the month-long Olympic trials and have requested to skip the Munich World Cup. NRAI has granted flexibility to shooters, allowing them to choose the events they wish to compete in or even participate only in the ranking round.However, NRAI has emphasized the importance of the Munich World Cup as it provides an opportunity to experience the Olympic format and environment without the pressure. The competition will also serve as a valuable benchmark for the Olympic squad, which is yet to be announced.Guidelines for Personal Coaches:NRAI has issued guidelines for personal coaches, outlining their roles and responsibilities during the training phase leading up to the Paris Olympics. These guidelines include restrictions on direct communication with shooters during events and entry into certain areas.While some personal coaches have objected to these guidelines, NRAI has invited them to attend NRAI camps to discuss the matter further. The association aims to be flexible and consider each case individually, but emphasizes the need for understanding and collaboration between coaches and shooters.

Legendary marksman Jaspal Rana has raised concerns over the delay in naming the Indian shooting contingent for the Paris Olympics, expressing that it leaves little time for final preparations. While several countries have already announced their squads and are in the final stages of training, India has commenced a month-long trial process.The top-five ranked shooters in pistol and rifle categories will undergo four trials, with the selection for Paris to be made after that. However, this leaves precious little time for the last phase of training, as the Olympics commence on July 26.Rana criticized the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) for not announcing the squad in shotgun events, despite the trials being completed. He believes that this delay puts pressure on shooters who have won quota places, while those who have not have less pressure.Rana also criticized the ongoing trials at the Karni Singh Ranges, saying he had never seen a competition where only five shooters per event were short-listed. He believes that at least three more shooters should have been included to complete the minimum requirements in a competition.He also expressed concerns about the number of trials, saying that it was too much and gave little time for rest and recovery. In the case of Manu Bhaker and Esha Singh, they will have to appear in eight trials, putting added pressure on their physical and mental well-being.Rana believes that the federation could have used some of the scores in national and international competitions as trial scores, reducing the number of trials required. He also emphasized that shooters should be ready for anything, but that the current situation is not ideal for de-stressing.