A neighbours son was asking me about guns at the Olympics and I didnt know what exemptions had been made for pistol shooting as they are banned in the UK . I have tried Google but couldnt find a clear answer . I am sure someone will know
Olympic shooting events will be held on the holloway road, Clapton Common and Tottenham and will be based from a lowered Mercedes, with chrome rims and accompanied by a 'kickin' bass' soundtrack.
There are provisions in the Firearms Amendments Act 1997 (under which hand guns are banned in the UK) for the Home Secretary to issue exemptions. A general exemption already exists allowing Crown servants, police and military to carry small arms, and specific certificates can be issued to individuals.
Currently British pistol competition shooters spend up to £10,000 a year travelling to Switzerland, where their guns are kept locked in an armoury at a shooting range in Zurich for training. They have asked (and been refused) for a dispensation to allow them to train in the UK. In Japan, for instance (where hand guns are also banned), the Japanese Olympians have a dispensation which allows them to keep their competition hand guns at home, and train in-country.
The Government granted a dispensation for handguns during the Manchester Commonwealth Games in 2002, but the rules were so strict that some international teams lodged complaints and are now asking for better conditions for the London Olympics in 2012.
I was amused by the comment in the Wikipedia article about Bisley being too far from the rest of the competitions - anyone going to the sailing will pass by Bisley and keep going for another fifty miles or so to get to Weymouth! The range at Woolwich is entirely temporary so that it can be removed after the event (at the cost, as I understand, of £39 million) so that there is absolutely no lasting legacy for the legal shooting community whatsoever (which, I suspect, is the main reason that it isn't to be held at Bisley).
It is now known as the Woolworth range within that community because of its temporary nature (it's basically a tent, just a very expensive one).
Apart from the temporary special permits needed for the British competitors to 'import' their weapons, there must be special arrangements to allow the foreign competitors to bring their 'armoury'. Will they be allowed to keep their firearms in their accommodation? - or will the guns have to be kept 'securely' at Woolwich Arsenal? What provisions will be necessary for transit between airport and the competition location? Will there be armed guards to protect against hijacking? (or am I being sensationalist?)
Why do the rest of us have to put up with all this extremely expensive hell for the sake of few publicity hungry politicos and useless bloody athletes who ought to do something useful instead?
Why do the rest of us have to put up with all this extremely expensive hell for the sake of few publicity hungry politicos and useless bloody athletes who ought to do something useful instead?
Well I'm neither a child nor wheezy, but I'm p!ssed off with the Olympics.
It was supposed to be a competition between amateur athletes, but now it's a greed-fest with politicians, sponsors, professional athletes and assorted hangers-on all with their snouts in the trough.
Pertaining to gun control laws, I read somewhere they are going to replace track starting pistols with a burglar alarm. Don't know if that is true or just a rumor...
Well I'm neither a child nor wheezy, but I'm p!ssed off with the Olympics.
It was supposed to be a competition between amateur athletes, but now it's a greed-fest with politicians, sponsors, professional athletes and assorted hangers-on all with their snouts in the trough.
Well I'm not a child either, although I'm a bit wheezy on occasions, but I was always rubbish at sport. My view on the Olympics echoes that of George Orwell in his essay The Sporting Spirit written after an ill-natured visit by Moscow Dynamo in 1945
"... I am always amazed when I hear people saying that sport creates goodwill between the nations nad that if only the common peoples of the world could meet one another at football or cricket, they would have no inclination to meet on the battlefield....At the international level sport is frankly mimic warfare... " etc .
I am just so glad I dont live anywhere within a 30 mile radius of London (well I always am anyway) as life is going to be hell for the majority of residents who frankly dont give a toss who can run 100 metres 0.01 seconds faster than someone else.
I was amused by the comment in the Wikipedia article about Bisley being too far from the rest of the competitions - anyone going to the sailing will pass by Bisley and keep going for another fifty miles or so to get to Weymouth! The range at Woolwich is entirely temporary so that it can be removed after the event (at the cost, as I understand, of £39 million) so that there is absolutely no lasting legacy for the legal shooting community whatsoever (which, I suspect, is the main reason that it isn't to be held at Bisley).
indeed, and Bisley is an internationally known 'arena' for sport shooting. There was much outarage at the spunking of several millions into a temporary facility when bisley was not only avialble but would have benefitted from from international level upgrades at a fraction fo the cost.
and the argument it's too far away from London, well the sailing is in weymouth as pointed out and neither are these:
And wasn't one of the key selling points of the Olympics to the public predicated on providing world class facilities for the proles when the games are over ?
still, it's only public money being p1ssed away, so trebles all round then !
Will the chap who starts the hundred metres stand on his box thrust his arm into the air and shout bang! in a loud voice? I stand with Mr Radeng re the bloody olympics,exceeding expensive and mind numbingly boring,right up there with watching grass grow or paint drying in my book. A very expensive way of picking out future television presenters.
) so that there is absolutely no lasting legacy for the legal shooting community whatsoever (which, I suspect, is the main reason that it isn't to be held at Bisley).
