Rathore blames NRAI selection policy for CWG snub

Athens Olympic silver medalist Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore on Wednesday lashed out at the National Rifle Shooting Association of India (NRAI) for leaving him out of the Commonwealth Games squad on the basis of "unfair selection policy".

"The NRAI had adopted a new selection policy in March but took base scores with retrospective effect from February. I'm not fighting for myself but for all other sportsmen who suffer because of the indifferent attitude of sports officials," Rathore said.

"If you have a policy, implement it from a future date. How can they implement it from back date," Rathore questioned.

Rathore's CWG hopes shot down by selection policy?

Rathore, who was eager to get back into action, after taking a long break from the sport, said, "Such breaks are helpful and the hunger to succeed is back."

Besides his silver medal-winning feat in the Athens Olympics, Rathore had won gold at the last two editions of the Commonwealth Games.

The army man also claimed bronze in the World Championship in Nicosia in 2003, gold in the World Cups in Cairo and Sydney, and bronze again in Grenada in 2006 when he shot a career-best 144 in qualification.

However, in trying to change the system, Rathore seemed to have lost his focus. "Yes, I stood up but lost focus and found it hard to concentrate," the shooter who walked out of trials in Patiala early this year due to faulty machines, said.

Despite missing the Commonwealth Games bus, Rathore, however, is confident that the Indian shooting contingent will do well in the October 3-14 event.

"Indian Shooting is on high for the past few years. We have a very strong team and I believe they would rain medals. I feel they can win around 20-22 medals," Rathore said.

"We are getting stronger day by day and I believe there would not be much of a challenge in Delhi, he said.

The shooter also had some good things to say about Ronjan Sodhi and Asher Noria. "Ronjan has won gold in the World Cup at Turkey and Asher Noria is also very promising," Rathore said.

On the innumerable controversies surrounding the Games, Rathore blamed the Organising Committee for the mess. "They knew we have a job but the Organising Committee did not wake up in time. The blame lies with the government too because they failed to monitor and assess the situation," Rathore said.