The India's shooting team was found to be in a problematic situation during their stay at the ISSF Junior World Championships 2023.
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India’s shooting team, which took part in the recent ISSF Junior World Championships 2023 in Changwon, South Korea, found themselves in a problematic situation after several shooters allegedly broke the ‘code of conduct’ at their accommodation. Insiders stated that shooters, including those from Uttar Pradesh and Delhi, were the ones who violated the code.
One incident involved a female shooter who was reportedly found in a male shooter’s room by the hotel’s housekeeping staff. The coaches faced considerable challenges in maintaining discipline among the team members. Some shooters’ performances also seemed to be negatively affected due to late-night partying. Insiders informed that the coaches have lodged a report with the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) regarding these incidents.
Meetings were held almost daily to address these code violations. The disturbances caused by the team led to complaints from other hotel guests about the loud noise and late-night gatherings which prompted the hotel staff to intervene and speak to the Indian team’s management. The hotel management even went on to mention their disinclination to host Indian teams in the coming future.
The NRAI has confirmed the receiving of the report from the coaches. The report will now be forwarded to the disciplinary committee, and the NRAI president will take further action based on the committee’s recommendations. The NRAI officials have refrained from revealing any details of the report but assure that the matter will be looked into.
A top coach, familiar with similar issues from the past, cited the federation’s decision to prevent parents from accompanying juniors on international tours as one of the causes for such behavior. According to him, many coaches who travel to such events hardly know the shooters which led to a lack of control over their behavior. It is important to note that a few years ago, NRAI had suspended a young shooter for inappropriate conduct with the housekeeping staff during an Italy trip.
India ended their campaign at the ISSF Junior World Championships 2023, winning 6 gold, 6 silver, and 5 bronze medals. The nation finished their journey in the second place, behind China that won an overall 28 medals, including 12 golds to top the medal tally. A total of 90 shooters represented India in various disciplines, but only seven shooters managed to grab more than one medal at the prestigious event.
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