European Shooting launches "Open Table" for a united and modern future

The European Shooting Confederation is kicking off a new era for the sport with a landmark initiative — “Open Table”.

The brainchild of ESC Secretary General Melis Giraud, this groundbreaking meeting brought together a powerful lineup of leaders to tackle the sport's biggest challenges and shape its future.

Held during the European Champions League in Madrid under the leadership of ESC President Alexander Ratner, the table was filled with key figures from across the continent's shooting federations, technical leaders. The Vice President for the Warner Brothers Discovery Mr.Emmanuel Mendieboure also participated in the Table minding good cooperation with the European confederation.

Melis Giraud herself explained the inspiration behind the initiative:

"There are many areas where we must work together to develop shooting both regionally and globally. The idea of creating an Open Table came to me as a way to bring more people together, encouraging broader contributions and participation in our discussions on improvement. If we are truly committed to transparency and unity, this initiative offers an excellent opportunity to engage more voices and strengthen our common efforts. Our meeting concept was originally named by my colleague, Yahor. I am truly pleased to see the strong interest and the positive outcomes. We also received very encouraging feedback".

The conversation focused on the future of European shooting, from maintaining sporting excellence and sustainability to plans for the landmark European Championships 2025 in France. Participants were so impressed with the productive exchange that they proposed making this “Open Table” a permanent fixture for the ESC, ensuring an ongoing dialogue and allowing a broader range of leaders to contribute. They stressed that to build a stronger, more united community, they must embrace high-quality TV broadcasts, smart social media strategies.

The main idea with which participants appealed to the ESC leaders was to establish a Council of Consultants to involve more experts from federations to prepare professional decisions for the official bodies of the Confederation.

Allison Fairclough, High Performance Director of the Irish Clay Target Federation, shared her thoughts on the event:

“I think the Open Table is a great opportunity to share ideas and discuss issues with peers. As a format it should be continued. In terms of sustainability in sport, I would like to hear more on how countries are ensuring the long term viability of shooting balanced with current economic trends in lead banning in Europe directives. What is working best for them and are there any best practices we can share? With high performance I’d like to hear from country representatives on trends in countries which are topping the medal tables and what works for them. Media/profile raising is important for funding with each of our countries and any discussions around promoting the sport are worthwhile”.

This "Open Table" marks a bold step forward for the ESC. By opening the lines of communication among its top brass, the confederation is showing a clear commitment to collaboration and innovation. It's not just about discussing problems — it's about building a better, stronger future together.

Leave a comment

Zekeriya Attila - 3 months ago

The "Open Table" idea could help make the right decisions not only for the ESC but also in many other sports. I hope this great idea and its implementation are not blocked by malicious actors. Congratulations for your work.

Authentication required

You must log in to post a comment.

Log in