By Nadia Isa
India could host the shooting and archery competitions for the 2022 Commonwealth Games months before the competition kicks off in Birmingham – if a new proposal is approved. Last year, Birmingham announced shooting and archery wouldn’t be part of the 2022 Games as they’re both optional sports for the host city.
Now, after threatening to boycott the event, Commonwealth powerhouse India has tabled a proposal to host both sports, with the results counting towards the official medal tally. India has offered to pay for the cost of hosting the two competitions, thought to be as much as $38m.
Shooting has featured in every Commonwealth Games bar one since 1966 and at the 2018 Games on the Gold Coast, India’s shooters accounted for a quarter of the nation’s total medal haul. India’s Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju said the country is very keen to have shooting included in the 2022 Games. “The Indian public takes a keen interest in shooting,” he said.
The proposal will be considered by the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) over the coming weeks and could be accepted by its executive board as soon as next month then put to a full vote of the CGF’s 71 member associations.