Controversy erupts as Indian pistol shooter Ankait Tomar excluded from World Championships over 'minor scuffle'

Ankait Tomar, a recognised pistol shooter, has seen himself unexpectedly released from the Indian delegation for the ISSF World Championships in Baku. This surprising exclusion results from a minor quarrel that flared up between Tomar and another shooter.

This was an incident that Tomar's father revealed resulted in his son's removal a mere week before the delegation's leaving.

At just 21 years old, Ankait Tomar has shown himself as a challenging force in center-fire pistol shooting. The disclosure of his ouster came on August 7, when he saw a noticeable absence — his name and weapon details were notably missing from the index of shooters fated for Baku, Azerbaijan.

The ISSF World Championships started on August 14 and is planned to conclude on September 1. Tomar's involvement in a previous dispute during the ISSF World Junior Championships in Changwon, South Korea, in July, seems to have played a part in his exclusion too.

During the Changwon event, Tomar had shown his capabilities by ensuring the team gold in the 50m pistol category alongside Kamaljeet and Sandeep Bishnoi.

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Ankait Tomar contacts NRAI, disappointed with reply

In the quest for clarity regarding his hasty exclusion, Tomar ran out to the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI). In reply, the NRAI communicated that he would not be permitted to participate in any contest until a ruling from the disciplinary committee was called.

Despairing to expedite the committee's judgment, Tomar made emotional pleas, highlighting the haste due to the looming departure of the team for Baku. In an email to NRAI secretary Rajiv Bhatia, Tomar stated:

"It's my future (in) question. I request you to please take a decision tomorrow as very little time is left (for the team departing for Baku)."

Ankait Tomar's future now rests in the hands of the NRAI disciplinary committee. But, as of now, he is yet to be summoned for a hearing, leaving him enormously disturbed and anxious, according to his father, Davinder Tomar.

In an attempt to provide explanation, Tomar referred to two incidents in his letter to the NRAI where he confessed to lapses in discipline during the Changwon event.

He noted an altercation that arose during an outing to a restaurant and another incident involving a conflict in his room. Tomar insisted that he was not directly entangled in the latter incident.

Furthermore, the happening has had repercussions beyond Tomar's exclusion, as a trainer accompanying the team reportedly resigned due to the problem, standing up in defense of Tomar.