Shooting will controversially not be contested at Birmingham 2022 after the optional sport was not included on the programme, meaning it will not appear at a Commonwealth Games for the first time since Edinburgh 1970.

This has sparked a backlash from the Indian Olympic Association who have threatened a boycott of the Games, with a final decision expected next month.

Britain's new Sports Minister Nigel Adams suggested hosting a Commonwealth Shooting Championships nearby during the 2022 Games in an attempt to appease India and prevent one of the Commonwealth's biggest nations from being absent in three years' time.

"I have already written to the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) to see if we can accommodate shooting in some form, maybe a Commonwealth Shooting Championships," Adams said. 

"It's important that we do get a competition in 2022.

"I totally understand how passionate people are about shooting across the Commonwealth.

"We want India to be here, no question."

In response to Adams, the CGF claims any Championships in Britain would have to be organised firstly by British Shooting, whether it was held in Birmingham or at a specialist venue, such as the Bisley Clay Pigeon Shooting Ground near London.

CGF chief executive David Grevemberg warned any alternative or parallel event could not be hosted by Britain simultaneously with the Commonwealth Games and would have to be given final approval by his organisation.

"If the shooting community wish to host a Commonwealth Championship prior to or after the Commonwealth Games, such ambitions should be coordinated through British Shooting in the first instance if the event is to be held in Bisley or another location in Britain," Gravemberg said. 

"Once a formal proposal is prepared, it must be submitted to the CGF for consideration.

"As referenced in the 2022 host city contract, Commonwealth Championships may not be held in the host country three months prior to or after the Commonwealth Games, and only with the approval of the CGF Executive Board.”

A statement from British Shooting revealed they would explore the possibility of hosting an event in 2022, with an eye on a return to the Commonwealth Games in 2026, an event expected to be held in Australia. 

"British Shooting is aware of the statement issued by David Grevemberg, which explores the potential for hosting a Commonwealth Championships prior to or after the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games," British Shooting told insidethegames. 

"As the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) Member Federation in Britain, we are happy to work with all the relevant bodies to gauge the appetite for such an event.

"If there were to be a Commonwealth Championships, we hope it would be a precursor for appearing in a future edition of the Games.

"We stand ready to assist the ISSF, ICFRA [International Confederation of Fullbore Rifle Associations] and the CGF."

Commonwealth Shooting Championships have been held irregularly since 1995, with seven competitions, often serving as test events for the main multi-sport Games.

The last Championships were held in Brisbane in 2017, seven years after being hosted by Delhi in the run-up to the Indian city hosting the Commonwealth Games.

The 2022 Commonwealth Games, awarded to Birmingham after Durban in South Africa was stripped of hosting rights after a failure to meet a series of financial deadlines, is due to be held in the English city between July 27 and August 7.