Shooting: All national coaching camps and Olympic selection committee meeting postponed due to coronavirus pandemic

In line with a government directive, the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) on 18 March postponed its Olympic selection committee meeting and all coaching camps scheduled for April owing to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The selection committee meeting was planned for 20 March.

"In view of the outbreak of COVID-19 and as per recent directions received from the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports, the National Rifle Association of India has decided to postpone its Olympic selection committee meeting scheduled for Friday, March 20, as well as all coaching camps proposed in April 2020, till further directives received," the sports body said in a statement.

The sports ministry had earlier in the day advised all national federations to refrain from conducting tournaments and selection trials till April 15 besides asking them to ensure that Olympic-bound athletes are isolated from anyone who is not a part of their training camp.

"The health of our athletes, coaches and administrative staff are of paramount importance to us," NRAI president Raninder Singh said in the statement. "We urge all Olympic bound shooters and national coaches to refrain from coming to the range till further notice and request they continue with their respective training schedules from their home bases, as best as they can," "The senior coaches are also specifically requested to refrain from travel. These are trying times, but we should ensure that we do not lose focus of the larger goal. We wish them all the very best and the pink of health."

The ISSF World Cup in New Delhi was earlier postponed because of the pandemic that has so far claimed over 9000 lives and infected more than 2 lakh people across the world.

The shooting body further said, "The public dealings at the NRAI House in Tughlaqabad have also been stopped with immediate effect till March 31, 2020. No visitors will be allowed and senior NRAI officials will continue to work from their respective homes."

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