ISSF moves European shooting Championships out of Russia, Worlds next?

Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF), headed by Russia’s Vladimir Lisin considering the tense political situation between Russia and Ukraine, announced to move the European Championship out of Russia. The European Championships (25m, 50m 300m and shotgun) was scheduled to be held in Moscow in Ignatovo, Moscow region, in August. The ISSF will look for a new country to host the event.

While responding to TOI's query, the ISSF suggested that if situation demands, the world shooting body will have to move the World Championships too out of Moscow, which will be held in August 2023. However, the World body was not as direct in their commitment about their action about the World Championships as they were about the European Championships. "I am strongly concerned about the current situation.

I do understand that not all athletes will be able to come to the European Championship. I am deeply sorry! The ISSF Headquarters and the ESC Presidium (European Shooting Confederation) don't have any right to make competitions unequal and to limit athletes' chances to win a quota for Olympic Games in Paris 2024. I am sure we will find a solution and will host the Championship in some other place," Lisin said in a statement, which was later posted on the ISSF social media pages too.

As per the new quota policy, the ISSF has distributed more quotas to the continental championships and hence absence of shooters from Ukraine can attract International Olympic Council's (IOC) ire and make the event ineligible to host Olympic quota qualifiers. On Friday, the IOC has asked all international sports federations to cancel all events scheduled to be held in Russia due to the political turmoil caused by Russia's invasion in Ukraine. When asked if the ISSF