A move to stage archery and shooting competitions in India ahead of the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham has been approved.
The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) announced on Monday that the competitions would take place in Chandigarh in January of that year, with the main Games in Birmingham starting in July.
The CGF said the event in India and the main Games in Birmingham would be separately organised and funded, but said that a week after the Birmingham closing ceremony it would issue a medal table including the Chandigarh results "as a further and final legitimate ranking of competing nations and territories from the respective competitions".
Birmingham decided not to include shooting or archery in its sports programme for 2022.
India, which has a good record in shooting, initially threatened to boycott the Games following that decision, but dropped that threat in December last year.
CGF president Dame Louise Martin said: "I am delighted that we have approved India's ambitious proposal to host a Commonwealth Archery and Shooting Championships in Chandigarh during 2022.
"Commonwealth archery and shooting athletes now have an unprecedented opportunity to compete in an elite event that will showcase the very best of Commonwealth sport and add value to the Commonwealth sports movement."
Birmingham 2022 chief executive Ian Reid said: "We are pleased to hear that the Commonwealth Games Federation executive board has approved Commonwealth Games India's (CGI) proposal for a separately organised and funded Commonwealth Archery and Shooting Championships, which will be held in India in January 2022.
"There is a long tradition of Commonwealth Championships being held across the globe, featuring several different sports, so it's great news that India will be continuing this tradition.
"We would like to wish the Indian Government, CGI and all of the organisations and governing bodies involved in organising and funding the Chandigarh 2022 Commonwealth Archery and Shooting Championships the best of luck and we look forward to a wonderful year of Commonwealth sport in 2022.
"Birmingham 2022 will begin on 27 July 2022, five months after the Commonwealth Championships in Chandigarh, and with a packed programme of 19 sports, featuring women's cricket and 3×3 basketball for the first time ever and the biggest ever integrated para-sport programme, with eight different sports included, we are confident that Birmingham 2022 will be a fantastic celebration of sport and culture."
CGI president Dr Narinder Dhruv Batra said: "We are very pleased that our proposal was considered by the federation and look forward to continuing to engage with all stakeholders to ensure that the Commonwealth Archery and Shooting Championships is a resounding success for the Commonwealth sports movement.
"Our proposal provides more opportunities for Commonwealth athletes to compete on the world stage, and we look forward to welcoming the Commonwealth's best shooters and archers to Chandigarh in 2022.
"Team India looks forward to competing at Chandigarh 2022 and Birmingham 2022, and discussing further how we promote closer ties with India and its athletes and the wider Commonwealth sport community."
