Hindustan Times (Lucknow)

More a mismatch than equality

World shooting body’s decision to expand women’s competitio­n will further erode sport’s popularity

- SHIMON SHARIF ▪

Shooting has seen a dwindling audience despite its huge potential to amass medals at the biggest stage, Olympics. So, the Internatio­nal Shooting Sports Federation’s (ISSF) decision to increase the number of shots in women’s events has come as a surprise. Many in the shooting fraternity are terming it a regressive step.

As per the new rules, the number of shots for women’s competitor­s has gone up from 40 to 60 – as in men’s event -- to qualify for the finals in 10m air rifle and air pistol. In rifle 3-position, it has been doubled to 120, while in trap and skeet it has gone from 75 to 125 shots. The ISSF has made these changes in line with the Internatio­nal Olympic Committee’s (IOC) goal of bringing about gender equality in sports. But this change will make shooting more time consuming. The new rules will prolong the already energysapp­ing competitio­n. This will keep fans from the ranges.

In this age of T20 cricket, where even ODIs look too long, increasing the shots will make it look like a Test match!

What did IOC really mean by gender equality? Did it mean more women’s participat­ion at the Olympics or making women’s events as challengin­g as men’s. Last year, when the ISSF axed the men’s double trap, 50m rifle prone and 50m pistol from the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, it received flak from the biggest names in world shooting. The move was to raise women’s Olympics participat­ion to 50 per cent by Tokyo 2020. Double trap -- hugely popular in India -- was replaced by trap mixed team, while 10m air rifle mixed team replaced 50m rifle prone. The men’s 50m pistol event was replaced by 10m air pistol mixed team.

When three events have been added for women, what was the need to change the qualificat­ion formats for women two years before the Olympics? Ideally, such changes should happen after the Games.

Reducing the number of shots from 60 to 40 for men would have levelled the field, made it exciting and ensured faster qualificat­ion. The Bundesliga in Germany, the world’s top shooting league, has a 40-shot format in air rifle and the best in the world compete there. Abhinav Bindra and Gagan Narang have taken part there.

The biggest challenge for shooting is to make it spectator friendly. I have shot at the World Cup and internatio­nal competitio­ns. Apart from the shooters, coaches and team officials, hardly anyone else is interested to watch. The Karni Singh Ranges in Delhi during the 2010 Commonweal­th Games saw poor audience. In the ISSF World Cup Finals in 2017, there were absolutely no spectators.

After the 2012 London Olympics, ISSF had made all finals longer. Though the eliminatio­n format has made it more interestin­g, it has made the finals longer. Extending the qualificat­ion phase for women only adds to it.

Earlier, it took 50 minutes to finish a 40-shot match. Now, it will take 75 minutes.

Since the 2012 Olympics, shooters don’t carry forward qualificat­ion scores into the finals. So, it doesn’t matter whether qualificat­ion shots are 40 or 60. Fewer shots would also help save on ammunition and targets. The worst hit is the women’s 3-position event where competitor­s will have to shoot double of what they have done.

The duration goes up from 75 minutes to 2 hours, 45 minutes, and will test a shooter’s stamina. One wonders if it’s shooting or a marathon race!

 ?? BY INVITATI HT FILE ?? ▪ Heena Sidhu and other women shooters will have to take 20 more shots.
BY INVITATI HT FILE ▪ Heena Sidhu and other women shooters will have to take 20 more shots.

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