India’s national shooting federation on Wednesday said it will not allow its shooters to travel abroad for training due to the novel coronavirus threat and won’t hesitate in pulling out of a Tokyo Olympics Test event in April if it becomes a health risk.
Indian shooters are scheduled to travel to Tokyo to participate in the Olympic Test event slated to take place from April 16 to 26 in the Japanese capital, which will host the main event in July-August this year.
“We have chosen our test event team but we are yet to decide (on travelling there). I’m not going to risk any of those kids. If we receive any advice from the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) or the international federation, our own mission in Tokyo or even our own assessment we feel there’s a threat, it isn’t worth the risk,” National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) president Raninder Singh said.
“We are also not allowing our shooters to travel overseas to train as well due to the virus,” Singh said.
“If a shooter is infected in the test event then we are subjecting him or her to the gravest of dangers and then that shooter won’t be able to participate in the Olympics, hampering our chances of winning a medal,” he added.