American Vincent Hancock secured his third consecutive Shotgun World Cup gold medal ©ISSF

American Vincent Hancock secured his third consecutive Shotgun World Cup gold medal as Italian world and Olympic champion Gabriele Rossetti opted not to wear a black armband in support of banned vice-president Luciano Rossi following a warning from the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF).

The double Olympic champion sealed his World Cup hat-trick with a score of 56 targets in the men's skeet final at the latest stop on the circuit in Siggiewi in Malta today.

Azmy Mehelba of Egypt took the silver medal with 54 hits and Rossetti, the reigning World Championships and Olympic Games gold medallist, took bronze on 45.

The triumph for Hancock saw him continue his domination of the men's skeet event.

The 29-year-old, winner of the Olympic gold medal at Beijing 2008 and in London four years later, arrived at the first World Cup event to be held in Malta having topped the podium in Guadalajara in Mexico and the South Korean city Chungwon.

Extra attention was on Rossetti and the Italian team after the ISSF warned athletes they could face sanctions if they continued to wear black armbands in protest at the world governing body's Ethics Committee decision to suspend Rossi for three years.

Athletes from Italy, Dominican Republic and Qatar had worn the armbands during the first two days of competition in Malta.

Athletes opted not to wear black armbands following a warning from the ISSF ©ISSF
Athletes opted not to wear black armbands following a warning from the ISSF ©ISSF

Video footage on the ISSF's YouTube broadcast from the final showed none of the eight competitors wearing them following the warning from the ISSF yesterday.

The ISSF also made the reasons behind the decision to suspend Rossi public, accusing the Italian Shooting Federation President of numerous ethics violations.

The worldwide governing body claimed Rossi had "tried to mislead" Member Federations by alleging the international governing body was planning to introduce laser shooting "for the sake of his own political agenda".

It also alleged Rossi had insulted ISSF officials and the International Olympic Committee's sports director Kit McConnell.

Rossi denies wrongdoing and has already confirmed his intention to appeal the suspension, which rules him out of running to replace Olegario Vázquez Raña as President when the longstanding Mexican official steps down in November, to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

The ISSF World Cup in Malta is due to continue on Monday (June 11) following a rest day tomorrow.