“I am not welcome because I am Russian”- ISSF President unwelcome at 2022 European Shooting Championship

“I am not welcome because I am Russian”- ISSF President unwelcome at 2022 European Shooting Championship

Vladimir Lisin

The ISSF President Vladimir Lisin has been told that he would not be welcome at the European Shooting Championship, since he is Russian. The current European 10m shooting championships are ongoing in Norway.

European Shooting Confederation (ESC) President Alexander Ratner, who is also Russian, as well as Anna Leshchikova, President of the Russian Shooting Union has said that the Norwegian Olympic and Paralympic Committee as well as the Confederation of Sports (NIF) stated the Ratner and Lisin could not attend the European Shooting Championship.

“I have been informed by Mr. Håvard Larsen, President of the NSF, that myself as well as one further member of the European Shooting Confederation Presidium and the President of the International Shooting Sport Federation, because of our Russian nationality, are ‘not welcome’ to the 2022 European Championship 10m in Hamar, one of the top ESC Competitions,” Ratner said according to indianshooting.com

“There should be no discrimination against Russian people,” ISSF President on no welcome at European Shooting Championship

Alexander Ratner, European Shooting Championship
Alexander Ratner

Ratner said that neither of the individuals have been associated with the Russian Government at all. “I have been living in Germany for more than 30 years,” he added.

Lisin on he other hand is the chairman of the largest steel company in Russia, Novolipetsk. His wealth however, has also been badly affected by the Russian war on Ukraine. Ratner also claims that they should not be penalised, since the ISSF and ESC have followed all the recommendations given by the International Olympic Committee after the war.

The European Shooting Championship were moved from Moscow, and all Russian and Belarusian athletes were banned from participating in the event. Ratner has however, made his intentions clear that he would in fact be making his was to Norway for the Championships. “As long as during the European Championship new formats of the shooting competitions vis a vis Paris 2024 Olympic Games will be tested, we are obliged to come to Hamar,” Ratner added.

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