- Wednesday, 13 January 2016
A complete makeover is taking place at the Dr Karni Singh ranges in Tughlakabad ahead of India hosting of the replacement Rio 2016 Olympic qualifier for Asian shooters later this month.
Shooters from China, Saudi Arabia, Japan and South Korea are expected to start arriving on Friday (January 16) in order to acclimatise ahead of the start of the 10-day event for pistol, rifle and shotgun disciplines on January 25.
New scoring and electronic equipment has been installed in a complete revamp of the shotgun range following problems at last year's National Championships held there.
Technicians from Switzerland will be arriving in order to help ensure smooth running, including the setting-up of a new result validation system.
Nearly 600 marksman and women from 32 countries are expected to descend on the facility close to New Delhi, the National Rifle Association of India have said, for a competition in which 35 Olympic quota places are set to be secured.
The event is reportedly expected to cost INR ₹40 million (£400,000/$640,000/€560,000), with over half of this coming from the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF).
The range in New Delhi has replaced last year's Asian Shooting Championships in Kuwait as the Olympic qualifying event for Rio 2016
The qualifier was moved to India at short notice in November after the International Olympic Committee (IOC) withdrew their recognition of the Asian Shooting Championships in Kuwait City in response to Kuwait's suspension from the IOC due to Government interference.
In a "direct violation of the non-discrimination principle of the Olympic Charter which must apply for all Olympic qualification competitions", designated ISSF technical delegate, Yair Davidovich of Israel, was also reportedly denied a visa by the Kuwaiti Immigration Department.
The incident prompted the resignation of Kuwaiti Minister of State for Youth Affairs Sheikh Salman Sabah Al-Salem Al-Homud Al-Sabah, the official responsible for a controversial Kuwaiti law which led to the IOC suspension, as President of the Asian Shooting Confederation.
Sheikh Salman relinquished his post on November 10 "for the benefit of shooting sport in Asia and participating athletes".
An investigation having since been opened against him by the ISSF Executive Committee over allegations he tried to use his Government position when he stood to become President of the world governing body in 2014.
Five countries reportedly expressed interest in stepping-in, including Kazakhstan and the United Arab Emirates.
The ban remains in place in Kuwait today, meanwhile, meaning the Gulf nation will be unable to compete in New Delhi.
Posted by Thom Erik Syrdahl
Source - The range in New Delhi has replaced last year's Asian Shooting Championships in Kuwait as the Olympic qualifying event for Rio 2016
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