NEW DELHI: With only a few days to go for the start of the Commonwealth Shooting Championship at the redesigned  Dr Karni Singh Range, the 22 Indian shotgun shooters attending the camp are having to face a lot difficulties.

All of them are paying out of their own pockets for the food, accommodation and transportation. The SAI officials have told them that their expenses will be reimbursed when they submit their bills after the camp is over. But the shooters are not quite sure whether the money will be paid to them.

“We attended a national camp at Patiala in December last year and paid from our own pockets. Even those expenses have not been reimbursed till now," said a shooter attending the camp.

The Commonwealth Shooting Championship will be held in the capital from 17 to 28 February and prominent shooters attending this camp include Ragyawardhan Rathore, Ronjan Sodhi and Manavjit Singh. This championship will serve as a test event for the Karni Singh Range. The IOA is expecting about 25 medals from shooting in the Commonwealth Games but continues to show apathy to even the most basic needs of these shooters.

According to rules, if SAI does not make arrangements for these shooters, it has to pay them Rs 1500 per day (for food and boarding). But for the moment, these shooters are having to foot their own bills.

Recently, the players of the Indian hockey mens team had gone up in arms against their governing body for not paying their dues. The women players have also voiced their financial woes. The top officials keep saying that New Delhi will host the best Commonwealth Games ever. But it is strange that they cannot even cater to the basic demands of their players.