Desperate and despaired, NSSF sets up makeshift shooting range

After dreadfully anticipating governmental support for a national shooting range for months that turned into years, the National Shooting Sports Federation (NSSF) has finally decided to set up a temporary range, with the least hope of giving the national shooters a place to train. Soon after the incumbent NSSF President Shirantha Peries was appointed in 2015, one of his priority projects was to build a national shooting range that would have ample space and up-to-date facilities to hold even an international event. 

Already the Ministry of Sports has spent almost Rs. 10 million on architectural plans, BOQ’s and has called for tenders and then the whole project came to a complete standstill. The NSSF also has spent nearly Rs. 3 million from various funds saved and raised.

The infrastructural and logistic aspects of the project were completed after allocating a potential plot of land near the Waters Edge Hotel in Battaramulla and is waiting for a financial approval. With a recent political turmoil and changes that affected the country and the delay of the budget, NSSF is left in the dark of where its position is.

With their experience, with less options remaining and also with time running out to prepare their national shooters, with a few important international competitions around the corner, the NSSF finally made a decision to temporarily set up a range, mainly for the use of their athletes. 

“In the past few years, we have managed to add value, standard and achieve progress with regard to shooting sport disciplines that come within the purview of the NSSF. But the NSSF too has its restrictions when it comes to funds and expenditure, as we do not possess a mass asset,” NSSF President Shirantha Peries stated.

The four-lane range equipped with electronic targets would at least help the shooters of the national squads to ready themselves for the upcoming international events to be held in Kuwait and India. NSSF’s priority international events would be the Emir Cup in Kuwait and the ISSF Rifle and Pistol World Cup to be held in New Delhi, India later this month.

“If the NSSF had its range built at Waters Edge as planned and on time, it would be generating substantial income from by now. The sport is progressing mainly due to individuals who are highly committed to it, and because of those who are willing to walk that extra mile without expectations of any returns. This new range that was set up was a result of that,” Peries added. 

The provisionally set up range is situated at a rented private property in Kohuwala, that was meant for use by an establishment belonging to one of its officials, who has allowed its use free of charge so that the country’s standards in shooting could grow further. Earlier, Peries had set up a much better facility on the rooftop of his office premises where eight lanes with air condition were available, but due to high maintenance costs, which were mostly met by the NSSF President’s own funds, it was discontinued after almost two years. Peries pledged that as a responsible national sports governing body, the NSSF is highly committed to serve the sport and its athletes, under any circumstances.

“We have waited eagerly, desperately and fruitlessly for state support to build up a permanent national shooting range. Finally, we had to decide on putting up a makeshift air rifle range, aiming to support its national shooters which include upcoming school children, who will be the future medallists in the sport of shooting now numbering over 5000.”

With a few international events lined up after the Emir Cup and the ISSF Rifle and Pistol World Cup, and without easy access for local shooters mostly from private clubs and schools to enter facilities maintained inside military zones, the NSSF was compelled to make this move, with the sole purpose of giving their shooters ample practice sessions and training. Even Ministry of Sports Representative Gamini Costa, who came in as an observer of the NSSF Annual General Meeting held in December 2018, outlined the importance of a national shooting range. 

“Shooting sports has the potential of winning international medals, in particular at the South Asian Games, Asian Games, Commonwealth Games and the Olympics. It’s good to see the current administration has made a good foundation of its shooters, who are finding it difficult to undergo training, as there’s no designated place for them to do their part, which is sad,” while pledging his fullest assistance, Costa said. The Sports Ministry official assured that he would look into every possible avenue to ensure the NSSF end up with a national shooting range. The project has gone through four different Ministers of Sports since then and now comes under Harin Fernando.