NEW DELHI, May 1: Jaspal Rana and Ashok Pandit today took the extreme step of boycotting the National shooting trials, re-emphasising their demand to ``improve the atmosphere'' at the Dr Karni Singh Ranges.

The trials are being held for selecting the Indian team for the Commonwealth Championship to be held in Malaysia in November and the SAF Games in Nepal later this year.

Both Pandit and he have met the SAI Director General, MN Buch, and Sports Ministry officals in this period, with a one-point programme: the range administrator, Manmeet Singh Goindi, must be removed.

The entire shooting fraternity have been shocked at the way things have turned out over the last one month. The National Rifle Association of India has preferred to keep quite, saying it has nothing to do with the issue. At the same time, it is upset that the country's top shooters are ``behaving this way''.

National coach Sunny Thomas, while watching the other shooters today, looked depressed. ``I hope some solution can be found,'' he said. According to insiders, a meeting between the two shooters and Buch has been arranged, where Goindi will also be present. At present, the shooters are adamant, and have said they will not train at the Tughlalkabad ranges unless the administrator is removed.

Pandit is not directly affected by the presence of Goindi, but is ``upset that none cares for Rana who has not trained for almost two months.'' The other shooters have thus far not got involved in the issue.

Pistol coach Tibor Gonczol, who has been helping out the Indians for a number of years, has been told of the happenings here. In a fax from Australia to an official here, Gonczol has expressed dismay at the turn of events.

The fax reads: ``I am sorry to know that Jaspal is getting involved in both sport politics and in real politics. I think he is being used by just about everyone. It is a pity to get involved in fighting with Manmeet.''

Rana was supposed to raech Australia to practice rapid fire shooting with Gonczol but has not communicated yet to the coach about his schedule. The final line from Gonczol reads: ``He could shoot rapid fire better than playing politics.''

While skipping one trial may not mean the end of the road for the shooters, the whole episode has left a bad taste in the mouth.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.