Makes WC team but doesnt get sports ministry clearance to travel; NRAI passes the buck The ISSF World Cup at Fort Benning,USA,was supposed to be one of the high points in Jaspal Ranas comeback trail. But it wasnt to be. Rana,who was to take part in the rapid fire event,will not travel with the team to USA as he failed to get the sports ministrys nod for the trip. After being away from shooting for over four years after his Doha Asian Games heroics,Rana came back to the ranges during the National Shooting Championships in Delhi in January this year. And had decided to shoot rapid fire in place of his pet event,the centre fire,in his quest to make the Olympics team. Having won a berth on the team for the 14-25 May event,courtesy good scores in the trials,Rana has once again hit a roadblock. I am not going to USA. I was told that since I wasnt part of shootings core group,they (ministry) have declined to give me the clearance to travel, Rana told Sportline on Monday. On being asked whether he had pursued his case with the ministry he added: Whats the point. Today is May 9 already and the tournament starts on the 14. I dont think we have time for all of this. Rana isnt the only shooter who hasnt got the clearance to travel in spite of qualifying. Seven others too,Amit Pilania,Chain Singh,Jitu Roy,Shivaji More,Ayonika Paul,Chetanpreet Kaur and Kavita Yadav,are shooters,who were part of the group of 39,who were selected to represent India,but werent given a go ahead. Also,most of the National B team,selected to participate in the International Shooting Competition in Hannover,who were to leave for the competition on Monday,have been shunted out on the same grounds. Of the 34-odd shooters,only six were part of the core group,and hence got the clearance for travel. While most shooters resigned to their fate,six others,including Deepak Sharma and Vivek Singh,have spent out of their own pocket. Pistol shooter Nausheen Fatima is understandably disappointed. I was looking forward to the Hannover meet. Today we were supposed to travel,but Im still here. What can I do, Fatima said at the Karni Singh Shooting Range. But Rana will feel most hard done. With no coach,very little ammunition I made it to the team and now Im left with nothing. Where is the need for trials when the person who is selected cant compete, Rana reasoned. Also on the basis of the competition in USA,the team for the Munich ISSF meet was to be decided,and Rana knows time is fast running out. Im sure that I wont be there on the team list for Munich,which means Olympics preparation is all but over. I may have to think about 2016. I dont know what I will do next, he said in his frustration. Blame game The National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) put the blame on the ministry for this mix-up. NRAI secretary Rajiv Bhatia said that the ministry was already informed about the prospective changes in the team during the trials itself and an updated list was forwarded to the officials once it was over. We had told them about the changes during the steering committee meeting chaired by Ms Sindhushri Khullar and then we forwarded the new list. Now if they dont give approval the NRAI is not to be blamed, he said. Joint secretary (sports) Injeti Sriniwas rubbished the claims saying the NRAI is yet to approach the ministry on the matter. The ministry doesnt select teams,it is the prerogative of the federations. There is no reason for discrimination against any individual,besides I am not aware of this matter, he said.
