et bien oui, maintenant ils en prenne aux olimpien maintenant.
CANADIAN SHOOTING SPORTS ASSOCIATION
MEDIA RELEASE - July 23, 2012
Youth sport shooters stripped of Ontario Summer Games honours
Authorities “handed down” orders citing recent gang-related shootings
(TORONTO – July 22, 2012) Two award-winning teenaged sport shooters have been kicked off the stage and can't stand beside their athletic peers during the Ontario Summer Games in August.
Organizers say the Games' specially-appointed Sporting Rifle ambassadors must not not appear during the World Record Camp Games ceremony due to the recent high-profile gun crimes committed in the Toronto area.
Chris Baldwin, 18, and Sabrina Sergeant, 17, both award-winning sport shooters, are proud representatives of the East Elgin Sportsmen's Association and the Canadian Shooting Sports Association (CSSA) at the Ontario Summer Games.
Games' organizers contacted the CSSA to say the teens are no longer welcome as sporting ambassadors: “Unfortunately, due to the untimely shootings that have taken place in Scarborough and the City recently, we have received a directive that we can no longer have the Sporting Rifle Athlete Ambassadors present on stage at the World Record Camp Games event. This is unfortunately something that has been handed down to us out of our control and we deeply apologize.”
John Evers, president of the East Elgin Sportsmen's Association says the ruling is outrageous.
“We are stunned at the treatment that these two young athletes have received from the City of Toronto and the Province of Ontario,” says Evers. “These teens are very disciplined and have refined their craft over many years, and now some faceless anti-gun bureaucrats are associating them with drug dealing, gang member criminals. They were invited to act as ambassadors and they are ideally suited for that job. They are perfect examples of what today’s youth should aspire to be. How can our provincial government be so blind and sink so low?”
Tony Bernardo, executive director the Canadian Institute for Legislative Action (CILA), says the bureaucratic insensitivity is unprecedented.
“Target shooters and hunters are treated like criminals way too often,” says Bernardo, “but this abuse is especially transparent. How can anyone justify pushing these youthful competitors aside because of some very disturbed individuals who live in another world? If a criminal uses a knife to stab somebody, do we take all the celebrity chefs off the air? If someone is murdered with a baseball bat, do we blame the Blue Jays? There is zero common ground between these young sport shooters and the viscous thugs who take part in public shootouts.
“Blaming sport shooters for the demented actions of criminals must end here and now,” adds Bernardo. “It's one thing for the anti-gun faction to mess with us, but now they're messing with our kids. That is something we simply cannot and will not stand for.”
Chris Baldwin is the Overall National Sporting Rifle 3-position champion three years in a row, National Junior prone champion, and second place grand aggregate. He competed in the 2008 and 2010 Ontario Summer Games and won triple gold medals and Provincial Junior Champion in several events. He was a gold and silver air rifle medallist at the 2011 Canada Winter Games and won first place in 2009 at a Youth Olympic Games match held in Colorado Springs against youth from North and South America. When he isn't training to perfect his aim, he can be found outdoors fishing, hiking, and mountain biking.
Sabrina Sergeant began shooting sporting rifle five years ago and won gold and bronze at the 2010 Ontario Summer Games and she enjoys air rifle competition. She and Baldwin are looking forward to competing in this year's events held in St. Catharines on August 17-19, yet they remain confused at having their ambassadorship suddenly withdrawn.
“Sports should be about fairness, the spirit of friendship, and the pursuit of excellence,” explains John Evers. “What are these kids learning from having their special distinction taken away by a bunch of anti-gun organizers? They're being taught that life isn't fair and it's okay to tar everyone with the same brush, however disconnected they might be. The Province of Ontario and the City of Toronto should be deeply ashamed.
“Our organization has been actively shooting for the past 56 years and there has never been so much as a band-aid required,” he adds. “It's the largest junior program in Canada and we average 60 kids from age 10 to 19 every Friday night during the winter. This is how you keep kids out of gangs and off the streets.
“East Elgin recently held an open house where 1,660 visitors enjoyed the shooting sports -- and many for the first time,” says Evers. “We went through 108,000 rounds of ammo. Our membership has increased from 200 in 2001 to more than 600 members today. Families come to the range like others head for the pool, the soccer pitch and the hockey rink. Instead of uninviting our youth to take part in the Summer Games, people should open their eyes and see all the things that sport shooters are doing right.”
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For more information please contact:
Tony Bernardo
Executive Director
Canadian Institute for Legislative Action /
Canadian Shooting Sports Association
[email protected]905-571-2150
John Evers
President
East Elgin Sportsmen's Association
[email protected]519-765-4169
519-857-3599 (cell)
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