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With less than 200 days to go for the Paris Olympic Games, another needless controversy has erupted in Indian shooting with potential to impact the team’s preparations. Jaspal Rana, pistol shooter Manu Bhaker’s personal coach, and High Performance Director Pierre Beauchamp have got into a slanging match on social media.
Jaspal Rana revealed on social media that he has been asked to leave the Dr Karni Singh Shooting Range in New Delhi by someone who had no background of shooting or India. An hour later, Pierre Beauchamp replied with an accusation that the personal coach and athlete were non-compliant of the Standard Operating Procedure set by the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI).
NRAI kept the pot boiling with a couple of Tweets (X) of its own, stating that shooting had won a record number of quotas for Paris 2024, that the work of the athletes and coaches as well as support staff is supplemented with careful coordination by the High Performance Director. It also advised the shooters and coaches to adhere to the SOP in the ‘better interest’ of the sport.
NRAI Secretary-General Kanwar Sultan Singh has gone on record to say that Jaspal Rana had entered the field of play in breach of the SOP. The coach insists he was not in the field of play and suggests that the CCTV footage can be checked to verify his claim. Such battles must not be fought in media and must be quickly resolved behind closed doors.
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NRAI officials need to act with alacrity and agility to ensure that the fissures do not affect the composure of the national team or individual shooters. It has to take the steps needed to keep the flock together. It may have to recognise the fact that Jaspal Rana is not the first to have a run in with Pierre Beauchamp.
A number of coaches, including shitgun experts Lauryn Mark and Russel Mark as well as Rifle coach Joydeep Karmakar quit after citing issues with the Canadian. Joydeep Karmakar, in particular, had stated that NRAI officials were witness to a scuffle but did little to resolve the situation.
The simplest thing to do would be to bring the High Performance Director and the coaches to a table and clear the air, facilitating the ecosystem to work as one rather than pull in different directions. As India aspires to make ng it to the top 20 of the medal chart in Paris, it banks heavily on shooting to land multiple medals, including some gold.
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