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Coach’s brush with customs forces NRAI to read riot act

The NRAI has sent a letter to the Sports Authority of India (SAI) urging it to drop Chowdhry from the coaches roster.

In the aftermath of one of their shotgun coaches — Aharul Hassan Chowdhry — getting hauled up by the customs department at the Indira Gandhi International Airport while trying to sneak in undeclared cartridges, the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) has decided to act tough.

In a circular soon to be issued to the shooters and coaches selected for various national squads, the NRAI intends to inform them that any sort of malpractices would be strictly dealt with. It also hopes to remind them that there’s a certain amount of responsibility that one must keep in mind while wearing the India colours.

“We are not bothered by what they do as individuals. But when they are travelling with the team they have to maintain certain standards as they are representing the country. They will be told in no uncertain terms that when they are travelling, they can’t bring in things with them (other than those with legitimate paperwork),” NRAI president Raninder Singh told The Indian Express on Monday.

“Most of them know what they are supposed to do, but we have to make it clear that indiscretions like that (Hassan’s case) will not be tolerated,” he added.

The next big assignment for India’s shooters will the World Championships, to be held in Granada, Spain, from September 6-20. Prior to the worlds, which is a qualifying event for the 2016 Rio Olympics, the teams will be flying abroad for training. While the shotgun team will be off to Masari, Italy, the pistol and rifle teams will be in Hanover, Germany.

Hassan to be de-rostered

The NRAI has, meanwhile, sent a letter to the Sports Authority of India (SAI) urging it to drop Chowdhry from the coaches roster. The NRAI has contented that the nature of the offence merited such a move as the customs commissioner has opened an inquiry into the matter. “I wrote to SAI that since the inquiry is on, we have to de-roster him,” NRAI secretary general DVS Rao said.

Chowdhry, who was returning from Finland with the junior team, was stopped by customs officials last week while trying to exit through the green channel — meant for passengers not having any dutiable goods to declare — with cartridges. After he was confronted, his cache was promptly confiscated.