CHENNAI: The coronavirus menace has affected India’s Olympic preparations. After boxing, badminton and wrestling, it’s shooting. The latest travel advisory has led to the Indian shotgun team pulling out from the first World Cup in Cyprus on March 4. The withdrawal will be a setback for trap shooters who are trying to qualify for the Olympics after failing at the Asian Shooting Championships last year. Kynan Chenai will be affected the most in the 15-member team.
“We are following the advisory issued by the Ministry of Health (on February 26), and we couldn’t have taken any chance with the health of our athletes,” explained National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) president Raninder Singh. He felt that since the shooters would have come in contact with athletes from nations that are on the health advisory list (like China, South Korea, Iran and Italy), this could have led to a quarantine. He said that though the World Cup would have been a good platform to start the season, NRAI is not perturbed because the next World Cup is in Delhi (March 16 to 25). As for Chenai, Singh said that NRAI is in touch with ISSF, and if required, he would be given a chance to gain ranking points. “Chenai will get an opportunity at the Delhi World Cup next month.
If he reaches the final, it will help him immensely. We are in touch with ISSF. If a case arises wherein Chenai needs a tournament, we will ensure that he gets one. It could be in Europe or the Americas. He will get a chance.” Shotgun coach M Padmanabhan said: “If he (Kynan) wins a medal, he has an outside chance for a quota. But it also depends on how other shooters perform.” Former world trap champion Manavjit Singh Sandhu deemed this as a setback. “A quota place is awarded to the highest-ranked shooter at the end of the first three World Cups. It is unfortunate that we have to skip this World Cup.
“It’s disappointing for us.
We have been in the middle of a training camp. We have been trying to get into shape and now, it is what it is. We will continue to train hard and put up a good show during the Delhi World Cup.” Not just this pull-out, India’s immediate Olympic preparations could also be affected. The team was planning to acclimatise in South Korea just before the Games, but it is most likely to leave directly from India. As for the World Cup in India, Singh said that participation might reduce, but that won’t affect the event. “There will be less competitors, but the quality will not be affected.” South Korea is the latest team that might not figure on the list next month.
shuttlers likely to bear brunt
NEW DELHI: The coronavirus outbreak might have wreaked havoc on Olympic qualifying events but Badminton World Federation said it has no “plans to make adjustments” to regulations related to the Tokyo Games qualification period. Concerns over the rapid spread of the virus forced the postponement of the four Olympic qualifying events so far — Lingshui China Masters (February 25 to March 1), Vietnam International Challenge (March 24 to 29) and German Open (March 3 to 8) and Polish Open (March 26 to 29).