Jaspal Rana, coach to double Olympic medalist shooter Manu Bhaker, has strongly criticized the national federation’s “ever-changing” Olympic selection policy. He argues that this inconsistency has already harmed some of the country’s most promising talents and will continue to do so if not addressed. Rana, a pistol legend with three Asiad gold medals from the 2006 edition, was direct in his condemnation of the federation’s habit of making last-minute policy changes. He also took issue with their refusal to recognize or allow the presence of shooters’ personal coaches at national camps and trials.
“Where is Saurabh Chaudhary? Where is Jitu Rai, the Asian Games gold medalist? Does anyone talk about them? No. Are we discussing Arjun Babuta, the 10m air rifle shooter who finished fourth in Paris? He missed a medal by just a fraction,” the outspoken 48-year-old questioned.
“Nobody is considering how to get him back on the platform,” said Rana, who claimed he was asked to leave the Karni Singh ranges by the federation’s High Performance Director, Pierre Beauchamp, during the Paris Olympics Selection Trials.
In 2021, following a second consecutive medal-less performance at the Tokyo Olympics, the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) revised its selection criteria.
The changes included a significant reduction in bonus points for quota winners and the reintroduction of trials to determine the final squad after a lengthy hiatus.
Previously, the composition of the final squads was entirely at the discretion of the NRAI, with quotas often being swapped if the federation deemed a shooter unfit. Selections were based on the NRAI’s vague assessments of shooters’ performances leading up to the Games, creating anxiety even among the top performers.
However, even with the introduction of trials, consistency was lacking. The NRAI faced criticism for limiting the number of shooters eligible for an Olympic berth to only the top five based on international and camp performances. This restriction made it impossible to field a full set of eight shooters at the trials, a decision that was widely ridiculed.
Rana emphasized that while he is not opposed to change, he believes there should be more consistency throughout the Olympic cycle.
He also pointed out the lack of a system to protect Olympic and world medalists, expressing concern that Bhaker, despite her two medals in Paris, will have to compete for a spot in the national squad after her three-month break.
“We rarely see Olympic medalists continue beyond one or two Olympics because there’s no system in place to protect them,” he noted. “The squad is selected based on the Nationals, so if she isn’t competing there, which she isn’t, she won’t receive the same support as other shooters next year. Those who have competed in the Olympics and proven themselves should be allowed to participate in every trial,” the coach asserted.
