Shooting Australia accused of double standards after Mitch Iles forced to apologise to teammate

TENSIONS continue to run high in Australia’s Rio shooting team after SA forced Mitch Iles to apologise to fellow Rio Olympian Adam Vella for saying he was a better shooter.

Mitchell Iles has had a rocky path to Rio. Picture: Adam Elwood

MELBOURNE’S Mitch Iles has been forced by Shooting Australia to apologise to fellow Rio Olympian Adam Vella for saying he was a better shooter.

In a move that has further raised tensions in shooting’s Olympic ranks, the 17-year-old was officially accused of breaching the sport’s code of conduct.

In a legal letter sent to Iles by Shooting Australia he was told there would be ramifications if he failed to apologise to an upset 45-year-old Vella.

Vella, 28 years his senior, was upset with Iles’ quote, with the letter stating “that comment could be seen to be unfair to Adam”.

After consulting his mother Rachel as well as grandfather and coach Bill he approached Vella and apologised at an Olympic function in Frankston last Friday.

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Mitchell Iles has had a rocky path to Rio. Picture: Adam Elwood

But the Iles family continues to be confused and confounded by the obstacles put in the way of the rising star of Australian shooting.

Iles was forced into a three-month Court of Arbitration battle against Michael Diamond and Vella after believing he should have been selected for Rio.

CAS recommended the trap team of Vella and Diamond be re-selected but Shooting Australia chose the same pairing.

After finally being accepted when Diamond’s gun and drink-driving charges disqualified him, Iles told the Herald Sun he was glad to be on the plane to Rio.

“I think it was pretty bad I wasn’t looked at more closely than Adam and Michael given I am still ranked No.1,’’ he said in a story that appeared in last Tuesday’s Herald Sun.

Adam Vella (pictured) was upset by Iles’s claim.

“I was quite disappointed with the initial decision, but I asked Mum and Pop (Bill) what they thought and we decided to appeal it.

“On benchmark scores, I shot three of them in the time period and Adam might have shot one, so that kind of speaks for itself.”

Shooting Australia is adamant Vella and Diamond had a compelling case for selection, with chief executive Damien Marangon confirming the Iles warning.

“I won’t talk about specifics around communication between Shooting Australia and athletes,’’ he said.

“But it is right and fair to say from time to time we have an obligation to remind them of the signed agreement and code of conduct and the way they represent themselves and their sport.”

Michael Diamond was banned from competing at the Rio Games.

Some shooting insiders believe it is a double standard given Diamond was accused by Australian shooting legend Russell Mark of insulting Iles in a Facebook rant in April.

The dual Olympic gold medallist, who has since wished Iles well in his Olympic bid, was not censured over those comments.

Iles travels to Darwin for a week-long training camp on Thursday where Vella will be in attendance.

But Shooting Australia is confident the pair can work together and form a formidable team in Rio.

Australia’s Olympic team containing two world No. 1s in rifle shooter Warren Potent and double trap shooter James Willett will attempt to rebound from a barren London Olympics where the team failed to win a medal.

Originally published as Shooting Australia accused of double standards after Mitch Iles forced to apologise to teammate