Shooting coaches' payments cleared by SAI

After months of uncertainty, Indian junior team shooting coaches are set to get their salaries and arrears with the Sports Authority of India (SAI) releasing the funds meant for them.
Months of toil without remuneration had last month forced the likes of multiple Asian Games gold medallist Jaspal Rana and Deepali Deshpande, who had represented India at the 2004 Athens Olympics, to think about skipping the next camp.
But this development should come as a welcome news for the coaches.
"We have received a letter from SAI and they have asked SAI Sonepat centre to release funds for coaches. Their salary and arrears will be paid from April onwards. Everything is clear now," an official of the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) said today.

When the coaches had signed on with the NRAI in October 2012, the payment agreed upon was Rs 50,000 per month for chief coaches and Rs 30,000 per month for other coaches. But when the payment came in December last year, some of them got just about Rs 65,000-70,000 for the period of 15 months.
Chief pistol coach Rana had recently expressed his frustration over the issue, while junior rifle chief coach Deshpande had shot a letter to NRAI stating that she would not be attending the camp unless the payment issue was resolved and a new contract signed.
The presence of a settled coaching staff for the junior shooters is of paramount importance as the International Junior Shooting competition in rifle/pistol/shotgun awaits them.

A coaching camp has been organised from May 14 for the tournament in Germany, which is scheduled to be held from May 26 to June 1.