Don’t use me for propaganda, Neeraj Chopra says after outrage over remark on Pakistan player
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India

Don’t use me for propaganda, Neeraj Chopra says after outrage over remark on Pakistan player

Neeraj Chopra posted a video on Twitter Thursday after people alleged that Pakistan athlete Arshad Nadeem was trying to 'tamper' with Chopra’s javelin.

Shubhangi Misra    

India's Neeraj Chopra in the qualification round of men's javelin throw event at the 2020 Summer Olympics, in Tokyo, on 4 August 2021 | Gurinder Osan | PTI

New Delhi: A day after his remark on Pakistani javelin thrower Arshad Nadeem led to outrage on social media, Olympic gold medalist Neeraj Chopra Thursday urged people to “not use me and my comments as a medium to further your vested interests and propaganda”

In a video posted on Twitter, Chopra said: I would request everyone to please not use me and my comments as a medium to further your vested interests and propaganda. Sports teaches us to be together and united. I’m extremely disappointed to see some of the reactions from the public on my recent comments.

A blurb from Chopra’s interview with The Times of India had gone viral Wednesday. In the interview, Chopra said he attempted his first throw hurriedly because Pakistani player Arshad Nadeem was “moving around” with the javelin.

“I was searching for my javelin at the start of the final. I was not able to find it. Suddenly I saw Arshad Nadeem was moving around with my javelin. Then I told him, ‘Bhai give this javelin to me, it is my javelin! I have to throw with it’. Then he gave it back to me.”

This statement was enough for a section of people on social media to direct hate at Nadeem and allege that he tried to “tamper” with Chopra’s javelin. A video of Chopra taking the javelin from Nadeem was also widely shared.

 

Putting an end to such allegations, Chopra said it’s perfectly normal and legal for players to carry another player’s javelin.

“People have made a big issue out of my comments in an interview where I said Pakistani player Arshad Nadeem took my javelin. We keep our personal javelins at one place but all players are allowed to use any javelin they like. It’s the rule. He was preparing for his throw… and I asked for the javelin when my turn came. This isn’t such a big deal. I am disappointed that the issue has been blown out of proportion in my name,” he said.

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