CGF chief executive David Grevemberg has suggested the organisation may adapt and modify to embrace India's interest over shooting ©Getty Images

Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) chief executive David Grevemberg hopes exploratory talks with the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) can led to innovation and creativity around how the sport may be involved with Birmingham 2022.

CGF President Dame Louise Martin and Grevemberg will travel to Munich following the conclusion of the Birmingham 2022 Coordination Commission here to attend the ISSF General Assembly on Saturday (December 7).

The meeting follows India's threat to boycott the event in the English city after shooting was not included on the programme.

The CGF leadership travelled to New Delhi last month to hold talks with Indian Olympic Association (IOA) President Narinder Batra and the country's Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju.

Grevemberg said the CGF's meeting with ISSF President Vladimir Lisin and secretary general Alexander Ratner would be "exploratory".

He explained that the organisation is keen to discuss the ISSF plans for shooting within the Commonwealth sports movement.

The CGF chief executive claimed there was the possibility to "adapt and modify" to help embrace interests of different groups within the movement, including over shooting's possible involvement around Birmingham 2022.

"Until we have sat down with them [ISSF], it is difficult to know what they are willing to champion," Grevemberg told insidethegames.

"I think we all as sports federations need to look through the lens differently at times and see how we can adapt and modify our movements to embrace the interests of diverse groups.

"What may be of interest in Oceania and the Caribbean may not be of interest in central Asia, Europe or Africa.

"We need to look at how we can bring this together.

"Birmingham has a fixed programme and it is moving in that direction.

"Anything adjunct to that would be something that has to be debated and discussed through our system.

"This is really our responsibility now to look at what is possible - I think where we go from here is continuing this dialogue.

“We have had more dialogue with shooting than ever, which is a good sign.

"I am optimistic we will have a good relationship with shooting moving forwards.

"We are working out what can be done, by when and why.

"We need to look at ISSF's ambitions for its growth, as well as how it looks to make the sport accessible, fun, engaging and relevant to future growth and future markets.

"I think all of that comes into play of how and why we use an event to achieve this.

"India is an enormous country and we need to know its plans for India, this is not just a two-way conversation."

India had threatened to boycott Birmingham 2022 over shooting's non inclusion ©Getty Images
India had threatened to boycott Birmingham 2022 over shooting's non inclusion ©Getty Images

Following their meeting with the IOA last month, the CGF claimed they were committed to finding a solution to India's concerns over the “non-inclusion of shooting as a competitive event at Birmingham 2022”.

The organisation said it hoped to find a solution which worked for the IOA and India, as well as the UK Government, the ISSF, and Birmingham 2022.

The possibility of a Commonwealth Shooting Championships has repeatedly been cited as a potential avenue for the CGF.

Grevemberg said the organisation would need to examine where such an event would fit within the sport's ambitions.

While stressing the Birmingham 2022 programme is fixed, the CGF chief executive suggested an innovative solution may be found.

"Not to overall speculate, as we have not really had the chance to talk in detail with the ISSF, but there have been plenty of great ideas," he said.

"I know there has been some talk of a Commonwealth Shooting Championships, because it has been an event that has been organised in the past.

"I think talking with the ISSF to see what innovation and creativity they can come up with, rather than the normal transactional relationship, that is what we are looking to have.

"I would not want to speculate too much on a particular solution.

"We will have some exhaustive discussions and spark some real innovation as to where we can go from here.

"We would need to look at where a Commonwealth Shooting Championships would fit in the shooting sport movement.

"Maybe there is a different format or a different type of event.

"Maybe there is something out there that we haven't considered that the sport of shooting can educate us on, and we can work together."

Shooting, while not a compulsory Commonwealth Games sport, has been part of every event since Kingston 1966, with the exception of Edinburgh 1970.

India has traditionally been strong in the sport, winning 16 medals, including seven golds, at Gold Coast 2018.

Batra has made it clear there is no point in India's shooters taking part in a Commonwealth Shooting Championships if the medals are not counted in India's tally for Birmingham 2022.

The IOA President has said the organisation will wait for the outcome of the CGF meeting with the ISSF before taking any decision on whether to boycott Birmingham 2022.