Asian Games shooting range enforces dress code for photographers and TV cameramen
On September 23, 2026, photographers and television cameramen covering the Asian Games shooting events at the Aichi Prefectural General Shooting Gallery were required to follow a venue dress code enforced by the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games Organising Committee.
The dress code stems from rules long included in the International Shooting Sport Federation rule book but has been displayed more prominently than usual at this competition, with notices plastered on soft boards around the venue. The Aichi Prefectural General Shooting Gallery, located about 70-75 km from central Nagoya in the hills, features visible signage intended to remove ambiguity for accredited staff working on the field of play. Organisers framed the requirement as a professional standard for those who operate in front of spectators and television cameras.
One poster at the venue states, "All media covering shooting events must follow the dress code." A separate sign lists prohibited items as "Blue jeans (black jeans are allowed), camouflage clothing, very short shorts (shorts must be of an appropriate length)," followed by the reminder: "Please follow the ISSF dress code at all times."
The wording on the signage initially read broadly to refer to "all media," which led to an incident in which a video journalist was asked to change from blue jeans into black jeans. The photographer's change request clashed with the venue's remote location, as returning to Nagoya, changing and coming back would have required roughly four hours and effectively ended the journalist's working day.
After the episode, organisers clarified that the restriction on blue jeans applies specifically to photographers and TV cameramen working on the field of play, not to journalists. AINAGOC emphasised that the rule is aimed at those with access to the field of play rather than all accredited media.
The ISSF dress code itself includes further limits for photographers, such as prohibitions on sleeveless shirts or tank tops, cut-offs, ragged clothing, trousers with patches or holes, gym or running shorts, and open-toed footwear such as sandals and flip-flops; shoes must be fully closed for safety reasons. These provisions sit alongside the venue signage to define acceptable appearance and footwear.
An athlete at the range said camouflage clothing can give the impression that shooting is associated with hunting, rather than being presented as a sport, while organisers indicated the blue jeans restriction is intended to maintain a professional appearance for crews working prominently on camera.
Organisers have taken steps to make expectations explicit through prominent signage and specific wording, reflecting their intent to minimise uncertainty about dress standards at the shooting venue.
