Indians For Guns

12/03/2010

To:

The National Rifle Association of India,

New Delhi.

Sub: Selection Policy- protest and objections


We are in receipt of the New Selection policy [thru e-mail] and are shocked to note the contents.

We at the Maharashtra Rifle Association have the largest number of target shooters at the Nationals and a very large number in the Core group/ shooting squad and yet we are not even aware of any selection policy which was being formulated.

We would like to know who has taken such a major decision and with what authority. We are very sure that the Governing body of the NRAI - which is the only body which can appoint any such committee - has never appointed any such committee nor has anything ever been discussed or debated on such an issue. It is so unfortunate that no State Association has been consulted none of the top shooters of Pistol and Rifle shooting has any idea of the formulation of this policy. To us it seems that we are not The National Rifle Association but the National Shot Gun Association. All the people your unconstitutional committee are from the Shot Gun Section. We from the small bore have always felt the very strong tilt of the NRAI towards shotgun but not to have any consideration of the views of small bore shooters and to formulate such an important policy without even involving them in a token manner is highly insulting.

We are hereby lodging our strong protest on formation of such a committee and its “Selection policy” on the following grounds which are without prejudice to each other.

• Policy prepared by a committee which was unconstitutional, arbitrarily appointed without any legal/constitutional authority to do so.
• Policy is prepared by shot gunners who have no knowledge of pistol and rifle section. There is no single representative from Rifle or Pistol section. Out of the 5 committee members of the said committee, 4 are pure shot gunners. The NRAI has repeatedly proven that it is a Shotgun” Association and its bias towards shotgun can easily be assessed by the total expenses incurred for shot gun and small bore and compare the same with number of shooters of each section. It is our opinion that it is solely because of this bias that even that there are no representative from Pistol and Rifle section.
• The NRAI cannot push this policy on us. We will not accept a policy which has not been well debated by the best of the best, which has not been put up for scrutiny giving enough time to all affected to give their opinions on the same. Only after a committee which is acceptable to all is constituted following proper procedure and which comes up with suggestions after taking into consideration the views of all top shooters/ State Associations can we arrive at a long term policy.
• The last page – pg 18 mentions that the said policy mentions that the policy is put up for public scrutiny – but when does the NRAI publish the proposed policy 2-3 days before it coming into effect. This seems to be deliberately done so that people do not have any time to react to the policy before it comes into effect.

For all the above reasons we request the NRAI to withdraw the said policy which has been purported to come in force from tomorrow i.e.13/03/2010 and form a well and equitably represented committee following due process, which makes a proposal and then the same proposal be sent to all concerned for their comments and suggestions.

We would like to mention here that the Maharashtra Rifle Association is only interested in matters which affect it and its shooters and in that case it will make sure that in no case the interest of its shooters is jeopardized. We will leave no stone unturned to ensure that our shooters get a fair and just policy.



ASHOK PANDIT-Arjuna Awardee

Hon. General Secretary

CC to:

Mr. Sriniwas, Jt Secretary, DOS, MYAS for Information and with a request to reject the said Selection Policy for the reasons mentioned herein above.

All Governing Body members of the NRAI – with a request to voice their opinion in response to this mail and take up the matter in the Governing Body Meeting.

All shooters, officials, sports promoters- to support our views. Even if you do not agree with whatever has been said hereinabove please send your views whatsoever it may be but do not be just mute spectators.

NRAI introduces new selection criteria

9 March 2010. Stung by the criticism of its selection policies, the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) has revamped the criteria, agreeing to consider international scores of shooters in some cases.

Insisting that the revamped policies will have no bearing on the teams selected before March 13, the NRAI said the changed criteria will cover selection of the teams till the London Olympic Games in 2012.

Only 12 top marksmen would be eligible for the national shooting team.

"The selection process would start with effect from the National Shooting Championship (NSC) of a particular year by identifying the top 12 shooters who would be eligible for selection for the National Shooting Team.

"The scores shot by shooters at the NSC is the mandatory base score. Based on various parameters being followed, categorization of shooting teams shall be in three broad categories -- NET (National Excellence Team), NAT (National 'A' Team) and NBT (National 'B' Team)," the NRAI said in a statement.

The Federation said two to three trials would be held every year and the first would be mandatory for all.

"Under normal circumstances, there would be two selection trials, but in the year where there are late ISSF competitions, there could be a third selection trials.

"It is mandatory for a shooter to shoot the first selection trial but he could get his/her scores replaced in the subsequent trials by substituting it with the trial score of designated ISSF championships. This option, the shooter has to avail by informing the NRAI of his/her intention prior to the trials," the statement read.

The NRAI didn't consider international scores earlier and matters came to a head when Olympic gold medallist Abhinav Bindra threatened to give up the sport after being repeatedly asked to come for trials, which disrupted his training schedule abroad.

The NRAI said World Championship and Olympic medallist would be entitled to some merit points as well.

"Merit points will be given to shooters for excellence in their performances for winning in either the Olympic games, World Championship or World Cup finals. The points for Gold, Silver and Bronze medal will be 3, 2, and 1 in that order.

"Similarly merit points will also be given for ISSF World rankings up to rank 15. Rank 1 to 5 a shooter will earn 3 points, from rank 6 to 10 it will earn 2 points and from rank 11 to 15 it would earn 1 point," the NRAI said.

The NRAI, however, made it clear that those winning Olympic quota places would not get automatic selection to the mega event.

"Olympic quota place will belong to the nation and those representing the nation at the Olympic games should be the country's best shooter at the time of the Olympics. However, the winner of a quota place for the Olympic games will get 1 merit point", the NRAI said.

"The merit points for winning medal, world ranking and winning the quota place would get added to the aggregate score of the shooter at the time of selecting the team.

"Overall, the policy for selection is transparent, futuristic and ensures that the best team for a designated championship always represents the country," the NRAI statement said. indianshooting.com

Wanted: A fair selection policy for shooters

It Is A Crime To Perpetrate Injustice In The Garb Of Autonomy

By Rajyavardhan Rathore

Every federation should have a simple and transparent system of selection to reach the ultimate aim of making a winning team.The National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) formulated a New Selection Policy in record time and announced that it would be effective from March 13,leaving a mere two days for anyone to grasp it.
This came as a surprise to many,which reportedly included the governing body of the NRAI itself.Most of the shooters were dumbstruck by the legally worded 16-page policy,which talks so little about the merit points for winning Olympic,World Championship medals but emphasizes on negative points for making a protest and writing to the sports ministry! Bravo democracy.As far as doing it in record time goes,it does not make much time to make a mess.Did the brains behind the policy have the good of Indian sport in mind,or were they aiming to shoot their foot When Indian shooting is trying to get a foothold on the world stage,people are leading it to a free-fall.

It is an important year for Indian sports,more so for Indian shooting as we have the World Championship apart from the Commonwealth Games in Delhi and the Asian Games in China.Tragically for the shooters,it has been a chain of fiascoes which have led to a flawed selection policy being thrust on them.The whole country knows that the shooters have been bringing laurels at every level including the World Championships and the Olympics.Indian shooting can boast of two Olympic medallists,two World Champions,multiple Asian Games gold medalists,three world record holders,but their individual or collective wisdom was not utilised to formulate a policy that could decide the future of the sport.

To put it simply,big-match temperament cannot be mathematically calculated by the scores shot and added over the year,like a school marksheet.Consider this: if in the beginning of the year,a shooter is in low form and hopes to get into the Indian team say by the month of June,he must shoot a score so high to first fulfil the deficit score of February and then still be higher than what others have scored in June.

Simply put,in the selection trials scheduled in Patiala from 18th March,some of the shooters have to shoot just 160 targets out of 150 targets to make it to the Indian team! Was there any sanity when this policy was being made Have these people ever played sports to know that periods of bad and good form are an intrinsic part of a sportspersons career Federations are supposed to be there for the sportspersons.But the authorities do not believe in this basic principle,and always wants the sportspersons to be at their mercy.Some joy people get in breaking the spirit of a sportsperson.

Well,everything started because of a protest from the shooters during the selection trials in Patiala.When democratic requests were not heard,seven top shooters signed a petition for a change of venue as the machines were faulty.It was viewed as a rebellion.The sports ministry did heed to sane voice,but two letters from the ministry to NRAI did not evoke a positive response.

As a result,two of the best shooters were left out for the first two World Cups.One had shot a 140 out of 150 in one of the trials,and the other shot a world record 147 out of 150 while competing in the MQS section in the first World Cup in Mexico.If that does not strike you,what is the great idea about pruning the list of shooters in the core group from six to five,a mere seven months before the Commonwealth Games.Will it be our strength or weakness,to have six training hard till the team is announced.Why are we so keen and in such hurry to keep the best out?

The policy also states that the top 12 shooters from the National Championship will be considered in each category for national selection.So,No.13 and others in that event can pack their bags for the season straightaway.With the top 12 having the advantage of international exposure,it may be the same 12 getting selected in the subsequent seasons.This is no way to develop a sport.

The system of taking international scores also has a disadvantage.Different ranges have different qualities,particularly for shotgun.Competing and coming good in tough conditions,instead of being applauded,could be penalised,as the policy views the scores just as numbers without trying to understand its intrinsic value.Moreover,we are paying thousands of dollars to our foreign coaches,to use their expertise.The policy spells clearly that the experts would have no say in the selection,and they will be restricted to technical training and advisory role only.No prizes for guessing whats done with free advice.Is this being mean or stupid

These are just a few of the glaring drawbacks of the policy.It pains me to say that there are many more.International medals won under good and bad conditions and current form should form the basis of selection.You train hard for years and make a thousand sacrifices before you achieve your dream on the biggest stage that sports offers.To perpetrate injustice in the garb of autonomy is a crime.It is not easy for an active sportsman to speak out.If I have spoken to highlight the points that need to be addressed,I do hope that people realise the deep anguish.I appeal to the sports minister,and the fair-minded souls of the NRAI,to immediately withdraw the flawed selection policy and invite discussion on the subject.Otherwise,there will be irreparable damage to the sport of shooting.


(Ace shooter Rathore is an Olympic silver medallist)