After India And Australia, Bangladesh Too Demands Inclusion Of Shooting In 2022 Commonwealth Games

Bangladesh became the third nation after India and Australia to demand shooting’s inclusion in the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games (CWG), claiming it to be one of their potential games at the time, reported The Indian Express.

Bangladesh Sports Minister Md Zahid Ahsan Russel on Sunday (15 September) requested UK Minister of State for the Commonwealth, the United Nations, and South Asia, Tariq Ahmad to personally intervene in the matter.

In a letter to Ahmad, he wrote, “...I am writing to you with regard to shooting and its proposed exclusion from Commonwealth Games 2022, scheduled to be held in Birmingham. It would be deeply appreciated if you kindly extend your personal intervention so that shooting may be included in the Commonwealth Games 2022.”

Earlier, India’s Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju had also written to UK Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) Nicky Morgan regarding the same matter. The Indian Olympic Association has also threatened to boycott the quadrennial gaming event if the decision was not reversed.

It would be the first time since 1974 when shooting has been out-listed from CWG due to logistical issues. Although Commonwealth Games Federation president Louise Martin claimed shooting to always have been an optional sports in the games, the move did not receive positive response from India and Australia, which won 16 medals including 7 gold and nine medals including three gold respectively in the last edition of the games in Gold Coast.