NRAI wants shooters to stay mum, undertaking bars core group from venting off on social media

Vinayak Padmadeo

New Delhi, May 23

The National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) has asked all the shooters in the core groups to sign an undertaking which, among other things, bars them from interacting with the media.

The 22-point undertaking is an attempt by the shooting body to cut down internal conflicts, such as the ones that cropped up in the months leading to last year’s Tokyo Olympics. Many of the coaching staff had longstanding differences that manifested in the squad’s lacklustre performance at the Olympics. Besides, a few of the shooters did not heed to the advice from coaching staff.

The NRAI has made it mandatory for all core group shooters, numbering around 200, to sign the undertaking. A violation of any of the clauses will warrant a suspension from the camp or the team.

According to the three-page undertaking, the shooters must “follow directions” from officials and coaches. The shooters are also expected to avoid any sort of verbal abuse or intimidation.

Further, the shooters are barred from indulging in any religious or political discourse, and from consuming alcohol or tobacco during camps. The NRAI wants the shooters to directly communicate with it and the team in-charge, not through family members. The NRAI also wants the core group shooters to keep the coaches informed about their whereabouts and about any grievances during the camp.

The undertaking bars the shooters from any sort of media interaction. “…shall not interact with media in any form or over any print/electronic/social platform without the permission of NRAI,” reads the undertaking.

It adds that the shooters “must not bring the shooting sport into disrepute through media comments, either pre, during, or post coaching camp/competition that relate to tournament officials, technical officials, opposing coaches or team officials and or players, that are personal in nature, imply bias, or question their integrity”.

Issue of indiscipline

When contacted, NRAI secretary general K Sultan Singh said the undertaking was aimed at making the group disciplined.

“It is very simple… The undertaking will ensure that the shooters will follow the rules of the camp diligently and not take the training process casually,” Singh told The Tribune. “I don’t see anything wrong with the media clause as there are lots of things that are discussed within the camp regarding training and during competitions. All these things are internal matters and should be kept within the group.”