The National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) is gearing up for the next Olympic cycle by initiating the hiring process for high-performance managers and coaches. This move comes as the tenure of the current set of experts is set to conclude after the Paris Games in August. With a record number of 21 shooters qualifying for the Paris Games, hopes are high for India to break the jinx of returning home without a medal in the two previous Olympics.
The NRAI has announced that all current experts will be eligible to apply for the positions of High-Performance Director, foreign and national coaches, and will be retained till the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Currently, the Indian shooting team benefits from the expertise of HPD Pierre Beauchamp, while two-time Olympic medalist Munkhbayar Dorjsuren serves as the team’s foreign coach for pistol events. Austria’s Thomas Farnik is the foreign coach for rifle shooters. The deadline for applications is July 31st.
NRAI Secretary Rajiv Bhatia explained that the Sports Authority of India (SAI) adheres to the Olympic cycle for coach hiring, hence the advertisement for the positions. He emphasized that all interested individuals, including current experts, will need to submit applications. Bhatia confirmed that the NRAI will thoroughly evaluate each case and select candidates based on merit.
Regarding the impact of the Paris Olympics performance on the appointment or rejection of current coaches, Bhatia clarified that the appointments would be valid from after the Paris Olympics. The contracts of the current coaches extend to August 31st, allowing for a period of 25-26 days after the shooting competition concludes on August 6th to consider the next set of coaches.
The NRAI has also requested the International Shooting Sports Federation (ISSF) to advertise the positions on their website, aiming to attract a larger pool of foreign experts.
Recently, some pistol and rifle shooters participating in the Olympic Selection Trials (OST) in April-May alleged the absence of foreign coaches during the exercise. Bhatia responded by questioning the shooters’ claims, stating that those who were not training with the foreign coaches should be asked why they needed them. He pointed out the hypocrisy of athletes who claim to train with personal coaches while neglecting the availability of foreign experts.
Bhatia further highlighted the significant financial investment made by SAI and NRAI in foreign coaches, who fulfill their camp periods before departing. He confirmed that foreign trap coach Marcello Dradi had left due to medical reasons, leaving both trap and skeet events without foreign coaches.
Currently, shotgun shooters are training directly with Ennio Falco, while all shooters are training with personal coaches whose fees are covered by SAI and the Target Olympic Podium Scheme.
