New Delhi: The denial of visa to Pakistani shooters participating in World Cup in New Delhi has backfired for the organisers as International Olympic committee has decided to “suspend all discussions” with India regarding hosting of global sporting events.
Media reports said that Olympic committee has revoked the Olympic qualification status for the men’s 25m rapid fire event from the New Delhi World Cup due to denial of visas to the Pakistani shooters.
The players were denied visa following deadly Pulwama attack in which more than 40 CRPF men were killed. The attacker had also died in it.
The IOC said it will not allow India to organise Olympic-related events in the future, unless written assurances are obtained from the government. The two Pakistani shooters’ participation in the tournament had become doubtful after the terrorist attack had been reported.
According to reports quoting PTI said that IOC’s decision comes hours after International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) President Vladimir Lisin announced that all the allotted 16 Olympic quotas for the 2020 Games would be scrapped. However, the apex body limited the withholding of quotas to only two while retaining 14.
IOC has said that deniel of visa to Pakistani players goes against the fundamental principles of the Olympic charter, in particular the principles of non-discrimination.
“As a result, the IOC executive board also decided to suspend all discussions with the Indian NOC and government regarding the potential applications for hosting future sports and Olympic-related events in India, until clear written guarantees are obtained from the Indian government to ensure the entry of all participants in such events in full compliance with the rules of the Olympic charter — and to recommend that the international federations (IFs) neither award nor hold sports events in India until the above-mentioned guarantees are obtained,” the IOC said.
