The upcoming Shooting World Cup in New Delhi was postponed on Friday in view of the threat of worldwide coronavirus infection, while the Olympic trials event in Tokyo was canceled. Sanctioned by the International Shooting Sports Federation (ISSF), the tournament was to be held from March 15 to 25 at the Dr Karni Singh Shooting Range in the capital. On the other hand, the Olympic trials event was to be held on 16 April. There are also reports that the shooting world cup in Delhi now will be conducted in two parts in May and June.
In a statement issued on Friday, the President of the National Rifle Association of India and the Vice President of the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF), said that due to the coronavirus, the decision to postpone the World Cup h to be taken. The statement informed that information about this decision of postponement if the ISSF Shooting World Cup has also been conveyed to the Government of India and the Indian Olympic Association (IOA).
The decision was prompted by Indian government’s move to impose several restrictions on the entry of travellers from affected countries such as China, Italy, South Korea, Japan and Iran, in a bid to contain the coronavirus outbreak.
Raninder Singh, President of the National Rifle Association of India, said that they have suggested the ISSF hold the world cup in two parts. He said the NRAI suggested Rifle and pistol events should be conducted from May 5 to 12 and shotgun events from the 2nd to 9th of the first week of June.
In wake of several countries already pulling out of the event, the International Shooting Sports Federation (ISSF) had said that no ranking points would be awarded in the upcoming New Delhi World Cup.
Countries such as Bahrain, China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau, North Korea and Turkmenistan had decided to withdraw from the tournament due to fear of infection with the coronavirus. Last Friday, India also decided to withdraw from the ongoing World Cup in Cyprus due to the coronavirus.
