Olympics Shooting Proposal Stalled

The International Olympic Committee is not “actively considering” the application of an international gun organization to include a combat-style shooting competition in the Olympic Games, according to an IOC announcement.

“The International Practical Shooting Confederation has applied to the IOC to become a recognized federation, but this application is not being actively considered,” the committee said in a statement from its headquarters in Switzerland.

Competitors in practical shooting--formerly known as combat shooting--use semiautomatic pistols, assault rifles and shotguns to shoot at human-shaped targets, mimicking self-defense scenarios in a race against the clock.

The sport is practiced in about 70 nations, confederation officials say. Last October, the IOC-sanctioned shooting sports federation for Greece agreed to let the practical shooters participate in a non-IOC exhibition at the same time as the 2004 Olympic games in Athens.

Nick Alexakos, president of the Canada-based practical shooting confederation, said he is not disappointed by the statement and will continue fighting for IOC sanction.

The IOC statement, released late Thursday, came one day after the Washington-based Violence Policy Center and a New Zealand gun researcher released a 30-page report condemning the confederation’s efforts.

Calling practical shooting a violent fantasy game, they said such competition has no place in an Olympic organization dedicated to promoting peace. They said the confederation was trying to use the Olympics to legitimize civilian use of firearms normally employed for combat and law enforcement.

They also were critical of Olympic officials for not unequivocally rejecting the sport.

Until now, the IOC had issued statements saying it was neutral, with the confederation’s application considered like any other.

Alpers and the Violence Policy Center claimed victory Friday, saying their report and news stories about practical shooting prompted the IOC to abandon its neutrality.

“The IOC statement appears to destroy the chances of Olympic status for combat shooting,” center officials said Friday. “In addition, it probably scuttles plans for a demonstration event . . . in conjunction with the 2004 Athens Olympics.”

Alpers, editor and moderator of an online program called Gun Policy News, said, “It’s gratifying that the IOC has now stated its opposition to combat shooting unequivocally. . . . The IOC’s decision reflects the international abhorrence of Olympic status for combat shooting.”

But Alexakos said the IOC statement is not an outright rejection. The Athens exhibition, he said, will be held as planned.

He said the announcement that the IOC is not “actively considering” his application means little because there are dozens of other sports with applications ahead of his. The application to include golf, for example, has been waiting for years, he said.

“Even if they did reject it outright, we would apply again,” he said.

As for the Athens exhibition, Alexakos said: “As recent as two weeks ago, they told me the exhibition was still planned.”

Federation officials in Greece could not be reached Friday.