Dave Plowman (News) wrote:

Why should a so called sport involve a device invented for killing or
maiming?

Hmm,

So that's an end to:

Archery
Javelin
Discus
Shot
Hammer
Epee
Sabre

And I'm sure several others.

Pistol shooting as a pure sport is basically a coordination of
hand and eye and could easily be accomplished in this day and age with a
non lethal weapon.

No, you're wrong, I'm afraid. An essential element of pistol shooting is
recoil, variation in the physical performance of the roudns of
ammunition, windage as well as physical control of the gun. It's not
possible to replicate this. Woudl you like to see sailing done in a
simulator on the grounds that it's really just a matter of tactics?

As they do with swords.

The swords used in fencing are not inherently non-lethal. They are used
in controlled conditions and according to safety rules. Just the same
applies to pistol shooting.