The EU Moves to Regulate Sports Shooters [Promoted content]

We interviewed Luciano Rossi, President of the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF), to get his views on a proposed EU law which will affect European athletes.

To begin, could you explain what the ISSF is and its role is in the world of shooting sports?

The International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) is the governing body for Olympic shooting disciplines and other shooting sports events. Founded in 1907, the ISSF organises and oversees competitions, establishes rules and regulations, as well as promotes the development of shooting sports around the world. ISSF brings together 163 member federations from 149 countries or territories around the world fostering a culture of safety, fairness, and excellence in shooting sports, supporting athletes from grassroots to the elite levels.

We are getting ready for the Olympic Games in Paris. What are your expectations?

We have high expectations for the upcoming Olympic Games. The build-up is very exciting, and France has done great work in preparing for this momentous event.

340 athletes from 81 National Olympic Committees (NOC) have qualified during the Qualifying Period and an additional 2 athletes from the Olympic Refugee Team (EOR). In total,  342 athletes from 82 NOCs will make 432 competition starts at the Paris 2024 Olympic competition which takes place in a state-of-the-art shooting venue – the Centre National de Tir – in Chateauroux from 27 July to 5 August. There are a total of 15 events including individual, team and mixed team competitions.

This will provide an excellent platform for our Olympic athletes to perform at their best on the world stage. But we should also highlight the shooting para sport events which will take place from 30 August to 5 September in 13 events for men and women which combine distance and positions (kneeling, standing or in a chair, prone or in a wheelchair).

Shooting has been an Olympic sport since the first modern Games and has been practised in Europe for hundreds of years. The Paris games will continue this rich tradition. I am sure we can expect a marvellous display of modern sportsmanship.

Concerning the recent developments on the proposed restriction of lead ammunition in the EU, how does the ISSF view this proposal and its potential impact on shooting sports?

The ISSF recognizes the efforts towards health and environmental objectives, but we are concerned about the potential disproportionate effects of the proposed restriction. ECHA published its formal “opinion” for restricting lead in ammunition last March (2023). It proposes that the EU should restrict the use of lead ammunition for all shooting activities.

To continue using lead shot at clay target (shotgun) shooting ranges, a proposed derogation rule requires, amongst other things, that operators recover at least 90% of lead each year. This restriction will put European athletes at an unnecessary competitive disadvantage. For example, the rest of the world will be training with lead, whilst it will be almost impossible for European shooting ranges to start recovering 90% of lead annually. This means athletes will need to train with steel shot, which is significantly different from lead when competing at this level.

Moreover, for outdoor rifle and pistol shooting ranges using lead bullets, the derogation rule proposed by ECHA (e.g. trap chambers and “special” sand traps) demands substantial financial investments for the majority of ranges in Europe. Only a small percentage of ranges have these conditions in place at the moment.

Is any shotgun range in Europe currently able to meet these requirements?

To my knowledge, there are no shotgun shooting ranges in Europe currently recovering 90% of lead ammunition. For this reason, I wonder how an EU institution could make such a proposal.

A recent survey conducted by the European Shooting Sports Forum (ESSF) regarding outdoor rifle and pistol shooting ranges indicates that few ranges could meet ECHA’s derogation proposal and that substantial costs and time are needed to do so. ECHA has not considered the fact that many of these ranges across the EU have already implemented effective Risk Management Measures tailored to specific conditions.

The proposed conditions would impose a huge financial burden without providing proportional environmental benefits.

Could you elaborate on ISSF’s specific concerns regarding the proposed restrictions?

Our primary concern is the impact on outdoor shooting ranges and our competitive shooting athletes. Many ranges will not be able to adhere to the proposed derogative conditions, which are impossible from a socio-economical perspective. This will affect the availability of training facilities and disturb the preparation of athletes, including those who will compete in future Olympic Games. Let’s imagine that one clay target shooting range in Europe can deal with this economically (i.e. recovering 90% of lead annually); this means that competitive shooters will have to travel huge distances to this specific range, which is not sustainable. It is frustrating because many of the best practice risk management measures do work, but ECHA has not properly considered these, in our view.

How do you foresee these restrictions will affect athletes and their performance in international competitions, such as the Olympic Games?

Athletes invest years honing their skills with specific equipment and ammunition. Sudden changes to their training regime could undermine their competitive edge, particularly for our EU/EEA athletes. Athletes need access to training facilities where the same material is used at a competitive level. Otherwise, this will impact their performance in major international competitions like the Olympics.

The ISSF has also raised concerns about the environmental impact of the proposed restriction. Could you elaborate on that aspect?

Whilst we support all environmental sustainability goals, the proposed restrictions might inadvertently exacerbate some environmental issues. For instance, a number of shooting ranges would cease operating, thus preventing managers from collecting and recycling accumulated lead, which is an environmental safeguard that appears to have been inadequately assessed by ECHA. We need realistic derogation conditions where lead can be recovered at a realistic percentage over a realistic period of time. Getting ranges prepared will take time and money. Most do not have money, and a minimum of 10 years will be needed to adapt to these changes.

What steps is the ISSF taking to address these concerns and ensure the long-term sustainability of shooting sports?

The ISSF is committed to collaborating with all stakeholders to find sustainable solutions. We believe that best-practice risk management measures can effectively mitigate environmental risks associated with lead ammunition. Member States must play a key role in ensuring compliance and permitting. Brussels needs to be less prescriptive and more realistic. We need time, at least 10 years, as well as money to be able to change Europe’s shooting ranges. The current derogative conditions, targeted directly at the shooting sport sector, seem harsh.

We urge and call on decision-makers to promote a more balanced approach which considers both environmental protection as well as the sustainability of shooting sports.