Paris 2024: NRAI overlooked key selection clause ahead of Olympic shooting trials, corrected it in nick of time

The National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) had overlooked a key selection clause for the Olympic trials and went into damage-control mode after the anomaly was detected.

The first two trials to select the Indian team for the Paris Olympics were held in Delhi from April 18-27 and the remaining two are under way in Bhopal.

As per NRAI’s selection policy (pistol & rifle) for the Paris Games, two bonus points are to be awarded to the Olympic quota winners in the firearms category and one bonus point in air gun events, such as air pistol and air rifle.

The policy states that the same number of bonus points will also be credited to the accounts of “deemed quota” winners.

Deemed quota winners are those who were eligible to win Olympic quota places but were not awarded the same because India had already earned the maximum of two quota places in that category.

The NRAI had overlooked this “deemed quota” clause during the trials, leading to a situation where the shooters who were deemed to have won Olympic quota places were not awarded the bonus points.

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The NRAI then had to hurriedly call a selection committee meeting, where High Performance Director Pierre Beauchamp was also present among others, a source told PTI on Thursday.

There are five big names in the “deemed quota” category, including multiple Asian Games medal winner Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar (men’s 50m rifle 3P), Ashi Chouksey (women’s 50m rifle 3P), Elavenil Valarivan and Nancy (women’s 10m air rifle) and Arjun Singh Cheema (men’s 10m air pistol).

“The similar points will also be available to the shooter, who was eligible to win a quota but was not awarded as India had already earned maximum of two quotas, provided the rank of the shooter was within first three ranks (in Olympic qualifying events). All such shooters will be “deemed” to be Quota holders and will enjoy all the privileges and benefits of Quota holders,” states the NRAI policy.

“In simple terms, the addition of ‘Deemed Quota’ points could have even moved a shooter appearing for trials ranked as low as fifth on the table to No.1, 2, or 3, who knows. In a precision sport like shooting, 1 or 2 bonus points makes a massive difference… of who goes to the Olympics and who misses out,” the source said.

The source added that the NRAI had to call a selection committee meeting to resolve the crisis.

NRAI secretary general Sultan Singh conceded the issue was referred to the Selection committee and the mistake was rectified.

“We immediately consulted, and referred the matter to the Selection Committee and explained to them like ‘this is the issue’. So they said, there is no problem, we are not deviating from the policy, we are within the policy and they (deemed quota winners) are entitled (to bonus points),” said Singh.

“If anything is brought to our notice, if any flaw has been (noticed) then I’m open to correction. It’s not that I’m failing somewhere. I would have failed if I would have not done that, right. I want to be as inclusive as much as I can, not to restrict anybody,” he added.

“We shouldn’t deprive anybody. Yes it (deemed point issue) was sent to the Selection Committee and it was approved and they said if anybody is entitled or eligible (he/she) has to be (given bonus points)…if (it) has been overlooked, overlooked.”