15/11/2016
Folks,
NASRPC have been contacted by two individuals who felt that they were not picked for the teams being fielded by NASRPC in the German leg of the 2016 IGRF Series, when they should have been..
As Team Selection has been such a problem in recent years and as NASRPC have put extensive procedures in place to ensure it is equitable, fair and transparent, this year and into the future, we felt it best to explain to everyone how the teams were selected for the German Open.
Following complaints about team selection for the 2015 World Championships in Germany, we put a number of measures in place.
We generated and published the leaderboards in most sports and committed to keeping them updated following each ranking event.
The ones which affect National Team Selection for IGRF events are: GRSB1500 and GRCF1500.
We documented the NASRPC Competitor Ranking Rules – this outlines how someone progresses up the leaderboard in their particular discipline, thus coming into contention for Championship Finals or National Team Selection.
It also outlines the selection criteria for National Teams.
We sought public submissions, convened a review panel to review those submissions and adopted all of the recommendations of that review panel.
These are the leaderboards and rules that were used to select the teams.
Obviously, at most “away matches” there is always the possibility that some of those selected will not be able to attend, for various reasons, so substitutions are selected, on merit, from the leaderboard.
To complicate matters further, as you will all be aware there is a group which has been attempting to have NASRPC replaced as the Irish NGB for Gallery Rifle within the IGRF.
In July, prior to the Irish Open, a number of members of this group posted a public announcement on facebook, in which they declared themselves conscientious objectors to NASRPC fielding the teams and because of that would not be making themselves available for International Team Selection for “the forthcoming Internationals”.
They also sent a communication to the IGRF itself, stating the same.
In essence, they opted out of National Team Selection.
Obviously, in the first instance, the 2016 Irish Open, we selected substitutes from the leaderboard – and as you will all be aware the teams did very well in the face of extremely strong competition, with the smallbore team putting in the best team score in 6 Internationals and the centrefire team holding some of the best British and German Competition we have seen to date, to a margin of only 9 points out of 6000 between the teams.
Then we came to the selection for the 2016 German Open – again we respected the wishes of the conscientious objectors – and selected substitutes. A number of other people were unable to travel so again, we selected substitutes.
All on merit from the leaderboards.
It has now come to our attention that a number of people have been told by some of the “objectors”, that they were unfairly excluded from team selection.
As you can see that is not the case.
Once these individuals have come to terms with the fact that NASRPC is the NGB for Gallery Rifle in Ireland, is responsible for fielding the teams in IGRF events, and accept those facts.
We welcome their opting back into team selection.
Obviously, they will need to do so in the same way that they opted out – by public announcement in the same fora and by notifying the IGRF that the issues they perceived that caused them to opt out, no longer exist and therefore they are able to once again opt in to team selection.
Then, should they achieve sufficient scores, they will once again be selected by the leaderboard and asked whether they are available.
Now – it has also come to our attention that there is an ugly underside to this situation.
In July, when NASRPC selected substitutes for the teams for the Irish Open, we heard, anecdotally, that these substitutes were approached and also asked to not allow themselves to be selected, in an attempt to undermine NASRPCs ability to field teams at all. Indeed in the public post and letter to the IGRF this fact was alluded to.
We have also heard, anecdotally, that some of those selected for the German Open have also been approached because of their selection.
This sort of disruption to the National Teams will not be tolerated.
Therefore, going forward, anyone found to be attempting to disrupt team selection, team preparation or team performance will receive a one year ban from National Competition and a two year ban from National Team selection.
We sincerely hope that these sanctions will never need to be levied, but NASRPC is adamant that this sort of disruption will not be allowed.
National Association of Sporting Rifle & Pistol Clubs
Competitions