Medal allocation displeases shooters

 The six countries taking part in shooting are not satisfied with the total gold medals awarded in the pistol category.

Papua New Guinea, Fiji, New Caledonia, Norfolk Island, Tahiti, Guam and Samoa are in the Games shooting competition.

According to Games shooting technical delegate Nicholas Sullivan, there were 18 medals allocated for the five events each; 10m female air pistol and male, 25m pistol female and male, 25m mixed standard pistol, shotgun single barrel mixed and shotgun double barrel.

“The shooting medal presentation had to go with what the 2015 Pacific Games Committee had approved,” Sullivan said.

“I am disappointed with the medal tally especially.”

He said shooting was an expensive exercise for all the participating countries. “People train, spend money to buy guns and ammunition and even transport the guns,” he said.

Some of the participating countries have asked if the team medals were awarded according to the number of participants. 

 After consultation with the Pacific Games Council, Sullivan said it was resolved that the medals already presented would stand and there would be no retraction of medals.

He said the medals presented would not appear on the medal tally.

Sullivan confirmed that Team New Caledonia had lodged the protest through its chef de mission Christophe Dabin.

 Sullivan told The National that further comments would not be obtained as he was bound under the 2015 Pacific Games committee regulations, while team medals for the medallists were all presented yesterday.

But PNG’s Mel Donald said medals awarded in team events should be counted as individual awards and and not as a single award, according to the International Sports Shooting Federation awards guidelines.

“Its not fair,” she said.