The National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) has made it mandatory for all shooters to henceforth compete in the National championship to be eligible for representing the country in international competition.
Releasing a comprehensive selection policy here on Tuesday, the NRAI has stated that the performance of the shooters in the National championship would form the ‘mandatory base score' for selection.
It will select the top-12 in each event from the National championship, and consider them eligible for selection, and add their performances in trials, apart from international competitions, to make the National team.
Three categories
There will be three categories of shooters, National Excellence team, apart from National ‘A' and ‘B' teams, with the top three forming the first category.
It has been announced that the Nationals would be held in November-December, and two selection trials will be held early in the season before the World Cups. A third selection trial would also be conducted depending on the situation.
The NRAI has categorically stated that there would be a separate selection trial this season for choosing the Indian teams for the World Championship, Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games.
The scores of the shooters in the third and fourth World Cups this season would be considered for selection of the team in these three important events.
It has also been decided to give merit points for the shooters for their world rankings, and for winning medals in the Olympic Games, World Championship and the World Cup finals. These merit points, of three for gold and the top-5 in rankings, two for silver and 6-10 ranking and one for bronze and 11-15 ranking, would be added to their aggregate scores that are considered for their selection. Shooters who want their international scores to be considered, instead of trials, have been advised to intimate the National body in advance and that such events should figure in the ISSF calendar.
The Olympic Quota places earned by the individual shooters would belong to the country as per the ISSF norms.
