The Sydney Morning Herald  reported yesterday that competitors in the men’s skeet category were told a second quota position would be shifted across from the rifle division under International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) rules and that two athletes would be going to Tokyo.

In response to the reports, Shooting Australia issued a statement saying that only one quota place had been secured in the men's skeet category for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, postponed by a year because of the ongoing global coronavirus pandemic.

Shooting Australia said that the quota place was achieved at the Oceania Shooting Federation Championships in November 2019. 

Shooting Australia said: "Whilst Australia had the opportunity to secure a second quota on the ‘open market’ [for example at the 2018 World Championships or at World Cups in 2019}, unfortunately we were unable to produce a performance that could secure a second quota.

“As detailed in our nomination criteria, Shooting Australia reserved the right and sole discretion to request the change of a maximum of one quota place in one event, for one quota place in any other event within the same gender. 

“Shooting Australia could exercise this right if, in its opinion, the single change could increase the chances of the Australian Olympic team winning a medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.

“This quota swap could only occur if the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF), who conduct the shooting programme at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, agree to a quota change for the Australian team prior to the submission of our team to the Australian Olympic Committee.

“Any request to the ISSF for a quota change does not guarantee that such a request would be granted.

"As such, there has been no guarantees given to any athletes regarding quota swaps.

“Shooting Australia had opened a dialogue with the ISSF about quota change scenarios in February this year.

"However, because of the global outbreak of COVID-19, many qualifying events have been either cancelled or postponed and the ISSF was unable to agree to any quota change, if it was proposed, for Australia.

“The ISSF’s advice regarding its inability to grant any proposed quota shift was communicated to Shooting Australia after the completion of the fourth and final nomination event on March 22. 

“At all stages of the nomination process, Shooting Australia encouraged all athletes, who had registered minimum qualification scores and were therefore eligible for 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games selection, to participate in all four nomination events in an attempt to top the nomination scoreboard, or perform strongly to be considered for a confirmed second quota position.

“It was our responsibility to ensure all athletes knew about all the different team nomination possibilities, which included a range of quota swap scenarios.

"But we could never make any promises because at the end of the day, the swap needed to be permitted by the ISSF."

The Australian Olympic Committee is due to announce the country's shooting team for Tokyo 2020 this week.