“We had to make cuts, hammer it”: Delhi winter, new ISSF rules affect shooters at Asian Shooting Championships

The new rules states: “The higher space should go the stiffness check when measured with the official stiffness-testing machine and obtain a deflection of three mm inside a most time of thirty (30) seconds.”

“The jacket under the bottom level of the shoulder blades, plus the sleeves (single thickness), should go the identical check inside fifteen (15) seconds.”

Overseas shooters battle

Most Indian shooters, who took half within the nationals at the identical venue in January, had already turn into accustomed to the jacket necessities. However for international shooters, the thickness check in Delhi’s chilly was a difficult begin to their Asian Championships, the primary worldwide match of 2026, and the primary to implement the rule change as effectively.

“Due to the fabric, numerous international athletes have been complaining that it’s not passing (via the thickness check), as a result of it’s so chilly. Now it’s already foggy, and there are clouds. On this climate, the fabric turns into thick. And because the temperature rises, it will get softer,” mentioned Indian nationwide coach Deepali Deshpande.

Deshpande additionally mentioned that Indian shooters had already confronted this downside at the nationals and had provide you with options. “So we did all the things doable in order that it could go. We had to make cuts, we hammered it (jacket) and all the things. So I don’t assume our athletes have that situation.”

The technical space at the Karni Singh 10m remaining pistol vary was a hotbed of shooters from Kazakhstan and Japan attempting to determine the problems with their jackets and arising with options. Initially, in accordance to an official from the Kazakhstan workforce, most of their jackets weren’t given clearance. Modern options began to crop up at that time.

Olga Dovgun, a former World Championship, Asian Video games and Asian Championships gold medallist, mentioned that Kazakhstan shooters have been rolling their jackets to make them softer.

“The shooters began at 8 and solely now (12 AM on Tuesday morning) did 4 shooters go the check,” mentioned Dovgun.

Whereas for some international locations like Kazakhstan and Japan, the options for sliding via the thickness check weren’t as clear-cut, Bangladesh’s lone shooter had a neater route to getting his clearances. Utilizing a jacket made by the Indian firm Capapie, Mohammad Robiul Islam mentioned that rubbing his jacket repeatedly a couple of occasions did the trick.

Deshpande additionally mentioned that earlier in January, in the course of the nationwide trials, Paris Olympic bronze medallist Swapnil Kusale had to get his pants ‘reduce’ so as to receive the thickness check clearance.

“His trouser was reduce so badly. It was like a Chinese language lantern. However nonetheless, he shot his regular scores,” mentioned Deshpande.