After British Shooting expressed disappointment that the sport of target shooting will not be included at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, ISSF expressed ‘great regret’ when learning of the news.
It will be the first time since 1970 that shooting will not be featured in the Games programme, and now ISSF have expressed their views on the issue via their website, saying: “A large number of countries and territories will now not have the opportunity to send their best athletes to Birmingham.”
The initial announcement that shooting would not be included at the 2022 Commonwealth games, set to be hosted in Birmingham, came two years ago. Since then however, shooting governing bodies across the Commonwealth have been doing all they can to propose a plan for inclusion that would suit all parties.
Not only that, but The ISSF also offered to contribute toward costs of shooting being included. But after two years of proposals, the Commonwealth Games Federation confirmed their initial decision of shooting’s exclusion from the Games on Thursday.
However, on the issue, the ISSF also said: “Certainly, we can hardly judge whether the thesis about the financial expenditure is true or not.
“The Birmingham OC nor CGF has ever consulted with us about any issue, including the competition program, since December 2018 when the ISSF delivered its bid presentation and offered its help.”
Needless to say, the news was met with considerable opposition from the shooting world, with ISSF concluding that, “The decision which has been made decreases the popularity of the Commonwealth Games and impacts negatively on many countries, dependencies and territories of the Commonwealth.”
Olympic Skeet shooter, Amber Hill said: “I’m really disappointed that shooting has not been chosen as one of the sports to feature at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games in 2022.
“Shooting is an amazing sport with incredibly talented athletes all over the Commonwealth.
“Competing at Glasgow 2014 was an amazing experience for me and having won silver four years later in the Gold Coast, it’ll be strange to think the sport won’t feature when it’s on home soil in 2022.”
British Shooting Chief Executive, Hamish McInnes, said: “This news is a huge disappointment, if not entirely unexpected. Across the whole Commonwealth, many target shooting athletes, their coaches and their families will, inevitably, feel let down that they will be denied the opportunity to compete in Birmingham in 2022.
“Shooting sports embody the CGF values of Humanity, Equality, and Destiny. Shooting sports have been a hugely popular and loyal member of the Commonwealth movement embracing a wide diversity of nations, large and small, and from all corners of the Commonwealth.
“I sincerely hope that the CGF will find a way to give hope and confidence to its shooting community that come 2020 and the decision to award the 2026 version of the Games that shooting can regain its place.”
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