Indians For Guns

Hi Ppl,

I just stumbled on this : http://www.telegraphindia.com/1061123/asp/sports/story_7039569.asp

I believe this is an old news item, but still don't think the situation has changed much from then...

New Delhi: Barely days before leaving for Asian Games, ace shooter Jaspal Rana has slammed the government and the Sports Authority of India for providing "shoddy" training facilities to the Doha-bound squad which he claimed had marred their medal-winning prospects.

Jaspal, who would compete in 25m centre fire and 25m standard pistol events, also urged star shooters Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore and Samresh Jung to speak against the sorry state of affairs in the sport.

"It will not be easy for us in Doha. It will not be a piece of cake at all. Asian Games is a prestigious event and there are countries like China, Korea and Japan who are all tough teams. It's tougher than the World Cup," Jaspal said.

"We do not have proper camps and coaching facilities. One coach is looking after so many players and so everybody is left on his own. Our ammunition does not reach in time and before every event there is a problem with ammunition. This kind of attitude will not lead us to victory," he said on the sidelines of an award function of Petroleum Sports Control Board on Tuesday night.

Jaspal said he refused to participate in the Bangalore camp but the sports ministry wrote a letter asking him to join the camp or face the consequences.

"There was no point in joining the camp. The ammunition was not there. The training facilities were poor. I did not have any coach. When I asked for one I was told the foreign coach will look after everyone.

"I went to the sports ministry to clear my ammunition but nothing happened. I am still practising with borrowed ammunition from my friends.

"They wanted me out of the team but I scored heavily in the trials in Indore and they had no option but to pick me. But I am still struggling with my form and technique - how can we perform under these circumstances?" asked Jaspal.

"I do not have big expectations for myself in Doha but I will give my best shot," he said.

Shooting coaches Gyorik Csaba and Laszlo Szucsak also did not escape Jaspal's fury. "A coach is there to train, not to select the team. And they sho uld not keep one foreign coach for so long. That is when they start to meddle in all affairs and officials start following them," said Jaspal, who won the 25m centre fire pistol gold in the 1994 Asian Games.

"The federation has got its limitations. The government, sports ministry, Sports Authority of India - everyone has to be blamed. They should remember that they are all for the players and not the other way round," he said.

Jaspal also said that players should speak out these problems otherwise upcoming shooters would suffer.

"Ask any shooters about the ammunition and they will tell you. They should come out openly. If Rajyavardhan Rathore, Samresh Jung speak out people will listen to them because they are current stars. If they do not, then these problems will hurt them also, so they should look beyond themselves and think about the entire fraternity.

"I have been in shooting for the last 17 years and I have been fighting all alone. I have got a lot of enemies," he said.


If this is the way a top shooter in INDIA thinks, how in the hell can they can hope to get a Gold in shooting in the Olympics. Somebody should do something! I think we should invite him here

-Inder

Oh boy! He really threw caution to the winds this time. Attaboy!

Let's see if the others have a pair as well.

Mack The Knife

P.S.: Thanks for posting that, Inder.

Excellent post, Inder. I respect Jaspal Rana for his outspokenness and hope that he shames the morons at the NRAI and SAI into behaving better than they have all these years. I wonder if there is a way to invite him here - truly someone whose voice would be of great help to us in what we are trying to do.

Cheers!

Mehul

Illegitimi Non Carborundum

Easier said than done, Vikram. The prevalent politics, egos and pettiness is unimaginable.

On a lighter note....he may not remember me by name but I think he will recall this incident.










Hey, Sat! Remember this?

Mack The Knife

Vikram,

There is b@g&er all that anyone could do to hurt Jaspal Rana. The man lost an Olympic medal because he was unable to import a gun that was competitive in 2000. At the time, PM Vajpayee promised to look into shooters' grievances but the BJP lurched from one problem to another and could not do anything much. They already had too much on their collective plate. I do not expect anything positive from our current recumbent - incumbent would be a bad term as the real de facto head is the daughter in law of the woman who took our rights away.

We have been too quiet and for too long. Now is the time to speak up and be heard. If the GoI does not like the truth and if the NRAI doesn't either, that is more a comment on their morality than it is on Jaspal Rana's statement.

What did you do,Rusty? Shot up the car?LOL.

Yeah,Mehul,what you write makes sense.

Best-
Vikram

LOL.

Your guess is as good as mine, Vikram. Nobody seemed to know how that happened. Think it was a cricket ball - see top left hand side of the windscreen.

Mack The Knife

Mack The Knife,

Why don't you do the honours of inviting him here? I am sure he would find a good amount of support with the general frustration of members here with the state of affairs re legal gun ownership in India.

Mehul

Haven't met him since 2003.

If I can find the details of his training centre, I'll drop him a line.

Does anyone have his e-mail address?

Mack The Knife

Just watched an interview of Jaspal Rana on NDTV India. He literally is on full auto ! Reproducing one excerpt ( the mild one) :--

Host:-- Why are you always speaking against..........?

Rana:- Because it is us who are questioned. SAI will not answer any of your questions. Ministry would not even meet you. In case of failures, won't you question me only ?

Host :- What preparations are going on for Commonwealth Games ?

Rana:- A lot of preparations are going on !

Host:- Like what ?

Rana:- Flyovers are being constructed, bridges are being built. Scores of demolitions are being carried out in the name of beautification ; amongst others. Nothing to do with sports though.

Host:- But where are the sportsmen ? What are they doing ?

Rana :- Well, the salaried are doing their job and the businessmen are doing their business. Others are busy with their own matters.

Some plain talking. Hope something comes out of him if he joins politics a possibility he has confirmed.