Sans ceremonial outfits, Indian shooters avoid flag hoisting ceremony

NEW DELHI - Indian shooters had to stay away from the contingent’s flag hoisting ceremony at the Commonwealth Games Village Friday as they were yet to get their ceremonial outfits and now would receive them only hours before Sunday’s opening ceremony at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.

A top shooter, on condition of anonymity, told IANS they are yet to receive their ceremonial outfits.

“Today we were supposed to attend the flag hoisting ceremony at the Games Village but since we didn’t have our dress, we decided to spend some extra hours training at the shooting range,” the shooter said.

Another shooter said they had given details about their measurements to the organising committee well in advance and have been told that they would get their outfits Sunday.

“We were promised that by Thursday night we would get our ceremonial dress and today we were eager to attend the flag hoisting. But nothing has happened till now,” he said.

Avtar Singh Sethi, competition director and senior vice president of the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI), said the shooters will get their outfits by Sunday afternoon.

Meanwhile, at the Karni Singh Shooting Range, the host broadcaster had problems with the organising committee over the placement of cameras.

Sethi told IANS that the broadcaster wanted the cameras to be placed above ground level, but that would have been a distraction for the shooters.

“We put our foot down and told them that cameras will only be placed at ground level. We finally sorted out the issue today,” said Sethi.

International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) official David Parish was also unhappy with the organising committee as the ear protection warning boards have not been placed at the range.

“ISSF rules clearly state that warning boards should be placed in all the ranges. During the Commonwealth Shooting Championships earlier this year we had the boards, but the ear plugs were not there. This time we have neither the warnings nor the ear plugs. The organising committee should give ear plugs to all the spectators. I have pointed it out to Mr.Sethi, but no step has been taken till now,” he said.