Olympic medallist shooter Gagan Narang denied entry on flight for 'carrying weapons'

Gagan Narang with his bronze medal at the 2012 Olympics

In a shocking display of callousness and disregard for world-famous athletes, a reputed airline today refused to let Olympic medallist shooter Gagan Narang on board because he was ‘carrying weapons’.

Narang, who has been trying to return to India after participating and finishing fifth in the shooting World Cup in USA, is currently stranded at the Paris airport because Air France denied entry to him on their flight. The refusal to let him on board was purportedly because he was carrying weapons; this, despite the fact that Narang is a global shooting star who has no option but to carry his athletic equipment – which would naturally include guns – on his commute.

This is what Narang posted on his Facebook page after Air France refused to allow him to get on their flight:

Post by Gagan Narang.

Air France reportedly has a history of discrimination against South Asian passengers. An open letter directed to the airline went viral a few months ago, where it was alleged that Air France officials treated South Asians with utmost disrespect, delaying their flight interminably without offering any valid explanation or apology.

Whether Narang’s plight is a result of that same discrimination against South Asians is not exactly clear right now. But what IS clear is that an Olympic medallist shooter shouldn’t be made to wait at an airport, thousands of miles away from his home, just because he is carrying equipment necessary to practise his art.