A letter from the Finnish Shooting Sport Federation (SAL) had called for "secret electronic voting" to discharge the Presidium of the ESC "effective immediately."

It has been supported by a number of European Federations which will all have two votes in any election when the ESC meets for its General Assembly here in Azerbaijan's capital in two months.

It is estimated that Federations supporting the call for a change could constitute a majority of 52 of the 100 votes at the ESC General Assembly on October 21.

Many delegates were unhappy that in the build up to the elections for the ISSF President in Cairo last November, Ratner, then ISSF secretary general, had shown open support for Russian oligarch Vladimir Lisin, allegedly involved in supplying steel to help build tanks and air defence systems for the war against Ukraine.

In a letter published on the ESC website and other platforms, Ratner gave details of both candidates but made the following assessment of the Italian Presidential challenger Luciano Rossi.

"Mr. Rossi decided to politically instrumentalise the dramatic and tragic events in Ukraine for his personal benefit," Ratner, born in Russia but who is now a German citizen, had written.

The document circulated to fellow ESC Federations by the SAL, which insidethegames has seen, said: "He stepped out of line and in violation of his loyalty to the ISSF and his authority according to ISSF Constitution.

"Mr Ratner took sides in a 'political' event and supported publicly one of the candidates. Moreover, Mr. Ratner used the platform of the ESC social media and website to spread his letter concerning the candidates."

The document also claimed that Ratner had allowed the shooting competitions at the 2023 European Games, held in Wrocław, "to be conducted in a format that had been abandoned and replaced by the ISSF."

It also charged that following Rossi's election victory over Lisin that, "Mr Ratner resigned immediately and did not handover the day to day management of ISSF to the new secretary general."

Eye witnesses testified that Ratner did not return after the lunch interval at the ISSF General Assembly following the vote that saw Rossi defeat Lisin by 136 votes to 127.

Ratner's representatives insist that the allegation was "misleading and false" and that a handover of relevant documents to his replacement as ISSF secretary general Willi Grill had taken place. 

A letter from the German law practice Summerer, Kranz and Sofing has been sent on behalf of Ratner to the SAL.

"We are engaged to draw your attention to the fact that this proposal is based on incorrect information and has no basis in the statutes," the letter, which insidethegames has seen, said.

The document insisted that Mr Ratner "ensured that the member Federations were fully briefed about the facts and achievements of all the candidates for Presidentship." 

It denied the other allegations.

The letter threatened court action against the SAL if a deadline set for last Thursday (August 17) was not met.

"We advise you that you can avoid proceedings in court only by signing and sending back the 'cease and desist' declaration within the said terms, we draw your attention to the risk that our client may initiate legal proceedings in court against the Finnish Shooting Federation," the letter from Ratner's lawyers continued.

"I know that the Federations that received these letters responded saying that opinion was always protected and never constitutes libel," the President of one of the Federations that signed the proposal for the ESC General Assembly to discharge the Presidium told insidethegames.

"Sports cannot be run through legal papers, a matter of a leadership is about gaining trust.

"The trust is not gained through legal procedures,

"He did some moves many countries felt inappropriate, these were examples of bad leadership."

Last month Ratner accused Danish Shooting Union President John Hansen of "spreading false information".

In the letter also seen by insidethegames, Ratner accused Hansen of discrediting the ESC, the Presidium and the President of the Continental governing body.

"Mr Hansen has been warned about responsibility for such actions and that all necessary measures will be taken against him and any persons contributing to disseminating false information." the letter said.

Insidethegames has contacted Ratner for comment.