Asian shooting meet loses Olympic qualifier status

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has stripped the Asian Shooting Championship of its status as a qualifying tournament for the Olympics after hosts Kuwait prevented an Israeli official from taking part.

The controversy arose after Kuwait denied a visa to Yair Davidovich of Israel, who was due to supervise the event which was supposed to be held here from November 1-12.

The IOC executive board revoked the qualification status of the tournament following a request from the International Sports Shooting Federation (ISSF).

Another reason for the decision is the fact that the Kuwait National Olympic Committee is currently suspended by the IOC due to government interference.

"The denial of a visa is against the non-discrimination principle of the Olympic Charter," the IOC said in a statement on Friday.

The IOC's decision has come as a blow to the Indian contingent who were hoping to grab at least five Olympic quota places in Kuwait.

Over 100 Indian shooters and officials had already reached Kuwait to prepare for the tournament. India has already secured eight berths for the Olympics.