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The ISSF World Cup final in New Delhi has been robbed of some sheen as three of Britain's top shotgun shooters, including Paris Olympics trap gold-medallist Nathan Hales, will not be competing in the prestigious year-ending event owing to "confusion" over paperwork that led to denial of visa to them.
The World Cup final got underway at the Karni Singh Ranges with elite shooters from across the world, including Olympic and world championship medallists, taking part in the training sessions on Monday. The competitions will start on Tuesday.
"No, he's (Hales) not (coming). They couldn't get their business visas in time. I don't know the exact ins and outs of it, but there was a complication...I think, what happened is that one of them (shooters) applied for a tourist visa, which was accepted," former shooter Peter Wilson, personal coach of Hales in the Paris Games, told PTI.
"But, then, they were told that they had to apply for a business visa and there was, for whatever reason, a complication and it was either revoked and the rest were left pending and they just didn't have the time for it to be processed," added the legendary double-trap marksman who won a gold in the 2012 London Olympics.
Wilson, who had recently expressed his desire to coach the Indian trap team, said it was a huge setback for British shooters.
"Obviously, it's a massive shame that they're not competing. So, there were three (shooters), two in men's trap, Hales and Matt Coward-Holley, and one in men's skeet Ben Llewellin. Ben got a tourist visa but was then told by our federation that he should reapply for a business visa."
"He applied incorrectly and at that point he had left it too late; apparently he was refused... I don't know why he was refused," Wilson revealed.
Asked if the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) had provided these shooters details on the visa they should apply for, Wilson said, "I would assume so, but I think at the moment no one knows quite where the blame lies."
"But it's just a shame that of all the teams, we've not got the Great Britain team and the Olympic gold medallist here, so it's a real shame."
NRAI president Kalikesh Singh Deo said, "I think there was some confusion with the way they applied."
Most of India's Paris Games squad will compete at the World Cup. A prominent who would skip is double bronze-medallist Manu Bhaker, who is on a break after her exploits in the French capital.