Close

Britain May Relax Handgun Ban For London 2012 Games

Officials from the Great Britain Target Shooting Federation are in talks with the British government about exempting the country’s top shooters from a ban on the use of handguns to boost Britain’s chances of winning pistol-shooting medals at the London 2012 Summer Olympic Games. The ban was instituted after the Dunblane massacre 10 years ago.

The federation has the backing of the British Olympic Association and Sports Minister Richard Caborn, but there is fierce opposition from the anti-gun lobby.

The Telegraph reports that clauses in the legislation allow pistol-shooting to take place at the 2012 Olympics, just as it was permitted at the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester, but practising with handguns on the mainland outside competition time is illegal.

Under the ban Britain’s top pistol shooters have to travel to Switzerland to practise, but because of time and finances they are restricted to short training camps there.

scroll to top