Shooter Umesh Choudhary conceded a potential gold for India at the ISSF World Junior Shooting Championship in Lima, Peru. He was penalised for ‘reporting late’ to the preparation arena ahead of the men’s 10m air pistol final.
Umesh was awarded 7.4 points on his first shot in the final despite shooting a superb 9.4 due to a deduction of two points.
At the end of the final, Umesh was placed third at the end of the qualification round with a score of 580. Had he not been penalised, he could have potentially won a gold medal in the eight-shooter final.
Umesh eventually finished sixth in the final and lost a chance to win a medal due to the penalty.
The score sheet of the final on the ISSF’s website read: “A2 Athlete 1412 CHOUDHARY Umesh (IND) – ISSF Rule 6.17.1.3. Late reporting to the preparation area”.
What is ISSF’s ‘Reporting Late’ Rule?
As per the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF), Umesh violated Rule 6.17.1.3, which states “a two (2) point or hit penalty will be deducted from the score of the first match shot or series if the athlete does not report on time”.
The ISSF rule on reporting and start times states, “The Start Time for a Final is when the CRO (Chief Range Official) begins the commands for the first match shot/series. Athletes must report to the Finals Range Preparation Area at least 30 minutes before the Start Time.”
“Athletes must report with their equipment including sufficient ammunition to complete the Final, competition clothing and a national team uniform that is appropriate to wear in the Victory Ceremony,” the rule stated.
“The Jury must confirm that all finalists are present and that their names and nations are correctly recorded in the results system and on the scoreboards. Juries must complete equipment checks during the reporting period as soon as possible after the athlete reports,” it added.
“During Finals security measures should be put in place to ensure the security of all equipment and athletes belongings left within the Preparation area.”
However, it remains unknown what caused the delay in Umesh’s arrival in the preparation arena.
The last time an Indian shooter was penalised two points was during the ISSF World Cup in Osijek, Croatia in 2021 when Elavenil Valarivan protested an opponent’s shot but the jury dismissed her objection and termed it correct.
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