This Article is From Oct 08, 2010

Ssssh, say angry officials to spectators for archery

Ssssh, say angry officials to spectators for archery
New Delhi: The International Archery Federation, FITA, on Friday threatened to stop the sport in the Commonwealth Games unless the boisterous crowd exercised restrain in supporting the home team.

At every sporting venue, even during the Olympic Games boisterous home crowd support, is considered to be a fairplay but the supreme archery federation thinks otherwise as the FITA Secretary General Tom Dielen today issued a statement, asking the crowd to stay "quiet".

"We ask for fairplay. We are ready to stop the (archery) competition if things run out of our hands," Dielen told reporters at the Yamuna Sports Complex.

"All the athletes should be given a fair chance to compete and shound not be disturbed at the time they are shooting."

In fact, the FITA officials had to intervene and use the public address system to ask the crowd to stay quiet.

"There are many other moments when the crowd can cheer for their favourites. If necessary, FITA will take the appropriate measures to ensure safe and fair field of play," Dielsen said.

The boisterous Indian crowd roaring, 'Come on India... Bharat Mata Ki Jai... Jai Ho' had played a big role in the morning as the women's recurve team beat their English opponents by a slender one point for the gold medal.

When contacted, the English team, who lost to Indians by one point to lose the gold medal, however said the archers should know to cope up with the challenge.

"Being a sportperson they should know to fight the challenge mentally. We are not condoning the crowd behaviour, our athletes should know to deal with it. We always knew it would be a tough challenge against the home side," English archery team manager said.

FITA, in fact, issued a statement highlighting FITA rules that state the director of shooting can intervene and not (re)start the competition if there is an issue with public.

"7.7.2 states the director will institute and enforce any reasonable safety measures he considers necessary and the duties include: Excercising control over the use of the audio equipment, the activiites of photographers, and spectators so that athletes are not disturbed. FITA asks to observe the following rules:

1: Encouragement of the public/ coaches/ athletes/ and music is allowed during archery competition.

2: The public should be quiet as soon as the archer come to full draw up until the arrow has been shot.

3: At no time, the public (including coaches and athletes) can use whistles or car horns or flash photography.

4: Anybody in the public who do not respect these policies may be asked to leave the venue."

Dielen however said they were very satisfied with the venue.

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