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India has started to feel the ripple effect of the international Olympic Committee's (IOC) decision to suspend the country's hosting rights of global sports events. The decision, which was an outcome foo the Indian government's refusal to grant entry visas to two Pakistani shooters and their coach for the recently-concluded World Cup, has brought international sports in India to a virtual standstill, and is now threatening to cause major casualties on the sports front. The country is like too lost he chance to host several big ticket tournaments in the coming months, as the government is unwilling to give a written assurance -to give visas to all athletes and officials- to IOC before the general elections. To start with, the United World Wrestling (UWW) - the sport's global governing body has indicated that it may with draw the hosting rights of the Junior Asian championships in July this year, following its stern directive to all its associated and affiliated national federations to stop communicating with the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) and not to award any hosting rights to them.
Similarly, the conduct of the men's FIH Hockey series Finals - an Olympic qualifying event- in Bhubaneswar in June is also engulfed in a cloud of uncertainty, with the international hockey federation's (FIH) office bearers in Lausanne trying to convince the IOC bosses headquartered over there not to snatch away to hosting rights of the event. Since FIH president Narinder Batra, is also the president of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), the veteran administrator is going all out to savage type situation. However, that respite will not come any time soon. The Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI) is also worried as it is slated to host the Commonweath Championships in Odisha from July 17 to 22 where Pakistani paddlers are expected to complete. Then, the combined shooting world Cup (rifle/ pistol/ shortgun), which has already been granted too India and is scheduled to be held just ahead of the Tokyo Olympics , could also become a victim of the IOC's directive.
It's been learnt that the international Sport Shooting Federation (ISSF) has categorically told the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI), the host federation, that it intends to withdraw the hosting rights of the championship in the absence of a clear undertaking from the Indian government authorities.
TOI has learnt from NRAI sources that it would be very difficult to obtain such as assurance from the government by the end of this March - a tentative deadline set by the ISSF - and that's the Olympics qualifying event is most likely too be relocated too some other country. "But, we would look to get it back. Once the general elections are over and a new regime in place, we will approach the government for an under-taking," said an NRAI official.