Amber Rutter, the British shooter who was mistakenly denied an Olympic gold medal due to a judging error, is speaking out and calling for accountability. Despite being judged to have missed a shot in the women’s skeet final, replays clearly showed that she had hit the target. Rutter and her coach protested the decision at the time, and now she is demanding an apology and action to prevent similar mistakes in the future.
Taking to Instagram, Rutter expressed her desire to bring about change in the sport of shooting. She emphasized the importance of a fair playing field for all athletes, whether through improved judging or the implementation of VAR technology, which is used in other shooting competitions governed by the ISSF. Rutter believes that accountability needs to be taken for the incorrect decision that cost her the opportunity to win an Olympic gold medal.
Despite the disappointment, Rutter remains proud of her performance, especially since she was competing for the first time after giving birth just three months prior. She made history by becoming the first British woman to win an Olympic shooting medal and celebrated the moment with her husband and baby boy. However, the joy was marred by the judging error in the shoot-off for gold.
Rutter’s call for accountability and fairness in the sport has resonated with other athletes who may have experienced similar challenges. She highlighted that multiple shooters faced similar situations during the final day of competition, underscoring the need for changes to prevent such errors in the future.
As Rutter transitions back to her roles as a mother and wife, she remains positive and grateful for the experience, despite the outcome. The ISSF has been reached out to for a response on the matter, as the shooting community awaits further developments in light of this incident. The incident has sparked discussions around the importance of accurate judging and the potential use of technology to ensure fairness in competitive sports.