New Delhi [India], October 23 : India is set to introduce its first-ever franchise league in sport shooting, tentatively named the Shooting League of India (SLI), the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) announced. The proposal, put forward by NRAI President Kalikesh Narayana Singh Deo, has been approved by the Governing Body, the national federation's highest decision-making authority.
A schedule for the league is being finalised, with the first edition likely to take place in March 2025, following approvals from the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF), the sport's global governing body.
Commenting on the development, Singh Deo said, "Shooting, especially after the recent Paris Olympics, has seen a significant surge in popularity, and we felt this was the right moment to launch a league. Franchise leagues have not only helped popularise sports but, more importantly, have brought in new audiences and revenue streams for both the sports and their athletes. We owe it to our athletes to make shooting self-sustaining."
"Shooting in its purest Olympic form is not considered TV-friendly, but we have deliberated extensively and believe we may have found a winning formula. Let's keep our fingers crossed as everything we do is in the interest of the sport and its exceptional athletes, who have consistently brought glory to the country over the past few decades," he added.
K. Sultan Singh, Secretary-General of the NRAI, outlined the SLI's basic framework, saying, "We aim to include all 15 Olympic events in the SLI, but we'll also look to innovate and tweak some formats to make them more exciting for television and live streaming. We want unique team compositions and ownership structures that will attract new audiences and sponsors. More details will be shared soon."
India recently secured three bronze medals in Shooting at the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics, half of the country's total medal haul. This marked the first time India had won three medals in any single sport at the Olympics, making Shooting the nation's most successful individual Olympic sport, with one gold, two silver, and four bronze medals over the last two decades.
Among India's historic achievements, its first-ever individual Olympic gold medal came from Shooting when Abhinav Bindra won gold at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. In Paris, Manu Bhaker became the first Indian athlete to win more than one medal in a single edition of the Games.
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