NRAI sets tough road to Rio Olympics for shooters

Indian shooters aiming for glory at next year's Rio Olympics will be required to take part in seven selection trials, following which the average final scores and merit points will be taken into consideration to select the team for the multi-sport extravaganza.
The National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) has decided to broadbase its selection criteria in order to provide a level-playing field to all shooters and not just the core ones for 2015.
This means shooters appearing in top international events and also the ones who are not shooting globally, will be competing at the same platform.
The selection policy was finalised by the technical committee of NRAI.

Shooters winning medals in top international events like the World Championships, World Cups, Asian Games and Commonwealth Games will be getting merit or bonus points for their achievements. The merit points will be added to their final average score.
This methodology will apply in all sections -- rifle, pistol and shotgun events.

The Olympic team will be finalised by the end of this year.
"The policy has been formulated with an aim to provide a level playing field to all and at all times to bear the hallmark of being transparent and fair to all athletes covered by it whilst being considered for selection to be a part of the national Olympic shooting team," the NRAI said in a statement.

The lowest of seven scores would be deleted and six higher qualification scores will be added to arrive at the final average score (FAS).
The FAS will be the arithmetic total of six high scores divided by six.
All shooters will be required to shoot in the 59th NSCC to be held in November/December.
"The team for Rio will be decided as per rankings after the Final Average Score plus merit points have been added and the Final Score has been arrived at upon completion of the 7 selection scores," the NRAI stated.