Athletes will continue to use lead ammunition in future Olympic Games, after the International Union for Conservation of Nature tabled a motion to have it replaced.
The plans will have been implemented in time for Tokyo 2020 and will have caused major change in the way international shooters prepare for the competition that takes place every four years.
The IUCN drives policy for 1,300 member organisations, which includes DEFRA and other government agencies, but after extensive lobbying by BASC and FACE this will not go ahead.
BASC’s Dr Conor O’Gorman said: “This was a back-door attempt to foist a lead ban on sport at a worldwide level. Competitive target shooting is confined to small and contained areas. These areas can be managed following evidence-based risk management practices. The Scottish Government actually lifted its lead shot ban in wetlands for the coastal shooting venue at the 2014 commonwealth games on the basis that the mitigation measures in place would ensure significant environmental impact.”
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