Commonwealth Games Federation clarifies not scrapping ‘Shooting’ from 2022 CWG

London, February 27: The Commonwealth Games Federation on Monday clarified that Shooting has not been scrapped from 2022 Commonwealth Games, insisting that the sport continues to remain in the optional category. Notably, with this announcement, all the speculations of shooting excluded from 2022 Commonwealth Games came to an obvious end.

 

The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) CEO David Grevemberg in a press statement refuted the reports that shooting has been excluded from the 2022 Birmingham Games roster on the organizers’ request. He said, “In response to erroneous media reports, the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) would like to clarify that shooting has not been scrapped from 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England.”

Grevemberg also said, “In no uncertain terms, the CGF wishes to clarify that shooting is, and always has been, an optional sport which a Commonwealth Games Host City has the choice to include on its Sports Programme should it so wish, and if it feels the sport is in line with its transformative ambitions for the Games.”

However shooting remains as the optional sports in games, Grevemberg termed reports of its abolishment as an “inaccurate” piece of news. “Though it was already an optional sport, its status was reconfirmed by the entire Commonwealth of Nations at the 2015 CGF General Assembly,” he added.

“It is wholly inaccurate to suggest that the CGF has ‘scrapped’ shooting from the 2022 programme. One of the unique benefits a future Games Host City partner has is the ability to tailor the Games in line with its very own ambitions and aspirations,” Grevemberg said.

The refusal of shooting to be excluded from Commonwealth Games gave a new lifeline to those Indian shooters dream of representing the nation at the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games. Importantly, shooting has been contested at every Commonwealth Games since Kingston 1966, with the exception of Edinburgh 1970.

Out of the total 438 medals, India has won in the Commonwealth Games, shooting has alone accounted for 118 medals. India has a rich history in shooting at Commonwealth games with 56 golds, 40 silver and 22 bronze medals to its name. The Asian nation consolidates the second position after Australia at 1st spot. In the last Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Indian shooters bagged a total of 17 medals in the event.