Shooting: Stanton protest fails

MELBOURNE - New Zealander Nadine Stanton's bid to shoot again for a Commonwealth Games bronze medal has failed after her protest was dismissed by an international judiciary.

The New Zealand team accepted the decision of a three-man jury when informed this morning of its decision but felt vindicated about their appeal as it was deemed Games organisers had made a mistake.

The protest was over a technicality in the double trap bronze medal shootoff which Stanton lost to Canadian Cynthia Barbara Meyer yesterday.

Stanton pointed out to officials both before and after the sudden death shootoff that the wrong trap was being used.

The judiciary agreed with Stanton but ruled that because she stepped up to shoot after Meyer, she had effectively accepted the conditions of the competition.

"They said there was blame on both sides," Shooting New Zealand's acting chief executive Tony Waymouth said.

"They said if she had not shot then they would have had to start the process again.

"Obviously we would have liked to get another chance at a medal but we're at least happy the point has been made."

Waymouth said the New Zealanders had their $150 appeal cost refunded, and the judiciary was to take the issue to the International Shooting Federation to address what was a confusing rule.

- NZPA