Jul 09, 2024 10:16 PM IST
Paris Olympics-bound rifle shooters training in Bhopal faced inconvenience as they were asked to shift hotels with just 20 minutes notice. They are upset with the situation.
New Delhi: Paris Olympics-bound rifle shooters training in Bhopal had to face major inconvenience on Tuesday due to an administrative mess related to their accommodation. Without prior notice, the shooters were asked to shift hotels with their luggage, giving them just around 20 minutes for packing.
To make it worse, the shooters have been told that they will have to come back to the same hotel on Wednesday morning.
It has been learnt that shooters are very upset with the situation and complained to NRAI top officials about why things were not organised properly when it was known that the national camp will be held in Bhopal. The pre-Olympics camp started in Bhopal on July 7 and will continue till July 13, after which they will travel to France on July 14.
“There was lot of confusion regarding their accommodation from the first day. Today evening when they came back from training at around 3pm, the shooters and support staff members were told they will have to immediately vacate and move to another hotel,” said a person aware of the development.
“Everyone was taken by surprise. They had to rush and pack a lot of things. It was time for their rest but that was gone in packing and shifting. Some of them skipped the evening gym session while some just did it without any intensity. They will have to travel back to the same hotel tomorrow morning which means another day of training will be affected,” the person further added.
Another person said that being a wedding session, there was a paucity of hotel accommodation but NRAI could have made better arrangements. A SAI facility is available near the range.
NRAI officials were not available for a comment.
“It is shocking the way NRAI administration functions. Such situations take a mental toll on the shooters. They could have shifted the camp to another venue if rooms were not available,” said a former shooter, wishing not to be named.
A record number of 21 Indian shooters, including eight in rifle, have qualified for the Paris Olympics.