Pistol coach Gangadhar Sharma and pistol shooter Mohinder Singh did not join the rest of the 33-man Indian squad, that includes London 2012 silver medallist Vijay Kumar, as they left for the US after being denied visas.

According to the Indian media, an official from the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) has claimed that they have been given no reason for the denial of visas and the same thing happened in 2012 when Imran Khan could not travel to Fort Benning and again  last year when pistol coach Sayed Wajid Ali was denied access to the US.

"These things happen with us all the time, they never give us any reason for the denial of visas," the NRAI official is reported to have said, adding that the federation is unlikely to take up the matter with the Indian Olympic Association.

"Sharma is a seasoned coach.

"We have no idea why he was denied [a] visa."

The ISSF told insidethegames that they have "not received any communication" from the NRAI about the situation adding that "visa procedures are under the sole control of US authorities".

The World Cup event in Fort Benning is scheduled to run from March 26 to April 3.

London 2012 silver medallist Vijay Kumar is one of 33 Indians heading to the US but teammates Gangadhar Sharma and Mohinder Singh have stayed at home ©Getty Images



The news follows after it was revealed Indian hockey player Harbir Singh Sandhu has been denied accreditation for the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, following background checks carried out by the UK Home Office which resulted in him being denied a visa.

The move has led to Hockey India threatening to pull its men's team from the Games unless the visa is granted to Harbir, while its secretary general Narinder Batra has accused the IOA of not doing enough to support their player after it emerged they knew of the decision a number of weeks ago.

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