Visa Woes Sideline Britain's Top Shotgun Shooters from ISSF World Cup

Three elite British shotgun shooters, including Olympic gold-medallist Nathan Hales, will miss the ISSF World Cup final due to visa application confusion. A mix-up over obtaining business visas instead of tourist ones led to delays and ultimately the denial of their participation in the event.

The ISSF World Cup final commenced at the Karni Singh Ranges but was notably missing some of Britain's top sharpshooters, including Olympic trap champion Nathan Hales. A mix-up over visa paperwork resulted in their inability to travel to the event.

According to former shooter Peter Wilson, complications arose when the athletes applied for the wrong type of visa. While one shooter received a tourist visa, they were later informed they needed a business visa, leading to delays and refusals.

This hiccup has been a significant setback for the British shooting squad. With timely interventions lacking, athletes like Hales and Matt Coward-Holley remain absent, much to the dismay of the shooting community.

(With inputs from agencies.)