Olympic Gold medal winner Bindra wants to quit shooting

CHANDIGARH - Annoyed by the negligence of the National Rifles Association India’s first and only individual Olympic gold medallist Abhinav Bindra is planning to move out of shooting range forever.

The 27-year-old Bindra, who clinched the historic Olympic gold medal in the 10m air rifle event at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, is tired of being at loggerheads with the NRAI.

Abinav’s father A S Bindra informed the media that he (Abhinav) is annoyed that his point of view is not being taken properly by the national body and is being treated like a Mr. Nobody.

“He needs space to do his training and prepare himself for this year’s Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games the way he prepared for the Olympics,” A S Bindra said.

Earlier, Abhinav defied NRAI by openly criticising its functioning.

Recently the NRAI insisted that Bindra should be present at national level trials.

A S Bindra said that Abhinav has been asked to undergo trials and he even agreed to it.

On December 18m 2009, Abhinav came from Germany where he is undergoing training for trials but to his dismay, the NRAI postponed the trials.

“He has requested that he be exempted from such trials not once but twice. He can’t be harassed like this,” A S Bindra added.

“His (Abhinav) emotional state is very low. He is planning that if ‘I am subjected to such harassment then it’s better to quit then confront’,” he said.

The NRAI, however, dismissed Abhinav’s allegations and said the body never misinformed him about the trial schedule. (ANI)