B’DESH ROOTS FOR SHOOTING IN 2020 CWG

Dhaka: Bangladesh has joined India and Australia in calling for shooting’s inclusion in the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games roster. Bangaldesh sports minister Md Zahid Ahsan Russel on Sunday wrote to UK Minister of State for the Commonwealth, the United Nations and South Asia, Tariq Ahmad, better known as The Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, and sought his “personal intervention” in the matter. “You may be aware that football, cricket, archery and shooting are our potential games right now. In this context, I am writing to you with regard to shooting and its proposed exclusion from Commonwealth Games 2022, scheduled to be held in Birmingham,” Russel wrote in his letter. “It would be deeply appreciated if you kindly extend your personal intervention so that shooting may be included in the Commonwealth Games 2022.” Bangladesh is the third country after India and Australia to protest against shooting’s exclusion from the 2022 CWG. India’s sports minister Kiren Rijiju had also written a letter to UK Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Nicky Morgan, seeking her intervention for the inclusion of shooting. For the first time since 1974, shooting has been excluded from the Games roster due to logistical issues. However, CGF president Louise Martin maintained that shooting has always been an optional sport in the Games. Shooting’s exclusion didn’t go down well with India with the country’s Olympic body threatening to boycott the quadrennial event if the decision is not reversed. The Shooters Union Australia supported India’s move and has threatened to boycott the 2022 CWG.