NRAI forms Olympic selection policy

The performance of the Indian shooters will be gauged predominantly in the international arena while ratifying their selection for the Tokyo Olympics 2020.

The NRAI has made it clear, despite a categorical selection policy based on simple arithmetic, that ‘’the decision of the selection committee shall be final and binding’’. (Representational Image)

The performance of the Indian shooters will be gauged predominantly in the international arena while ratifying their selection for the Tokyo Olympics 2020.

The National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) has formed an Olympic selection policy, with an objective of ‘’fielding the best from the best, purely on merit’’, while persisting with the domestic competitions and a bunch of selection trials towards finalising the national teams for the rest of the international events.

The scores from the recent Asian Games in Palembang apart from the World Championship in Changwon will form the basis for Olympic selection along with the scores in the World Cups to be staged next year and the Asian Championship. Unlike in the past, it has been decided to have a uniform selection policy for rifle, pistol and shotgun.

READ: Ahead of National selection trials, NRAI issues new circular

The Olympic selection of the shooters would be confirmed after the first World Cup in 2020. If necessary, the national federation would conduct a maximum of two Olympic trials if there are shooters in the merit list who do not have the scores from a minimum of five international competitions.

The five higher scores of the last six competitions, as mentioned above, would be considered in arriving at the Final Average Score (FAS) of the shooters towards their Olympic selection.

For the rifle 3-position events in men and women, it has been agreed to consider the higher score among the elimination and qualification scores for selection.

Only two shooters, Anjum Moudgil and Apurvi Chandela, have won the Olympic quota so far, in women’s air rifle. The Olympic quota winners will get two merit points that can be added to the final average score in the event in which they have the Olympic quota.

Since the regular national selection policy would be in vogue, the Olympic quota holders will automatically get selected only in the first World Cup of 2020. Otherwise, it would be the top three as per the national ranking based on moving averages, who would be selected to represent the country, in each event.

Since the maximum quota, of two per country, has been achieved in women’s air rifle, both Anjum and Apurvi would be eligible to compete in the event, for international competition, provided they figure in the top three of the ranking list.

The quota holders would be allowed to shoot in MQS category in other events till quotas are maximised in that event. Thus, Anjum, whose main event is women’s rifle three-position, could be shooting only the MQS, while three others would attempt to secure the quota in that event.

India has not managed to win any quota in the mixed events. Thus, the No.1 among the men will pair with No.1 in women, should both qualify individually in air rifle, air pistol and trap events.

There will be merit points to the tune of a point, 0.75, 0.5 for the gold, silver and bronze, respectively, in the specified competitions. Qualifying for the final and not winning a medal would also merit 0.25 point. The merit points would get added to the Final Average Score. World record scores would also merit a point.

World rankings would merit one point for World No.1, while No.2 and No.3 will get 0.75, No.4 to No.6 will get 0.5 and No.7 to No.10 will get 0.25.

Despite the merit points, the qualification scores would continue to play a big role in deciding the selection of shooters for Olympics.

For example, in the Asian Games, Rahi Sarnobat won the gold after qualifying with 580, while Manu Bhaker finished fifth after an impressive qualification score of 593 in women’s sports pistol. So, Rahi will have mere 0.75 advantage on the basis of merit points in the final average scores, while Manu will have 2.6 points advantage in average when the scores get divided by five.

The NRAI has made it clear, despite a categorical selection policy based on simple arithmetic, that ‘’the decision of the selection committee shall be final and binding’’.