PUNE: The Indian shooting team is prepared to deal with strict rules that await them when they reach Tokyo for the Olympic Games in July.
With gun and ammunition laws in Japan being very strict even for their own citizens, the Olympics organizers have set a cap on the number of ammunition a shooter can carry for the Games along with many other arms related rules.
Tokyo will allow each shooter to carry not more than 800 rounds of ammunition for training and match purpose.
There was no cap on the number of ammunition allowed during the 2016 Rio and 2012 London Games.
However, Indian shooters will have no trouble with the limited number of ammunition, say the coaches.
“Looking at the way we have been planning our training, 800 rounds are sufficient.
The training sessions a week before competition will be low in quantity and high in quality and intensity.
It will be just to get them acclimatized to that range and conditions and to ensure everything is in order,” said pistol coach Ronak Pandit.
The coach added that shooters are firing more shots in the camp at Zagreb and was confident that they won’t need to fire more at Tokyo.
“The training happens before that so we don’t have any problem with the limit of 800 rounds,” Ronak added.
Rifle coach Suma Shirur said though a 50m rifle 3 position shooter needs around 200 shots for a match, it still won’t be a problem for them.
She also said that all the rifle shooters have got their ammo after getting their barrel tested.
“All the shooters have had their barrels tested for suitable ammunition.
For some, it was done at the Delhi Ranges during the Olympic training camps, while others got it done at respective home ranges.” Since the rules in Japan are strict, barring the Asian Airgun Championships in 2017, the country has not hosted any major tournament since at least past three Olympics cycles.