New Delhi: After facing backlash on social media, Indian javelin star Neeraj Chopra clarified Friday that he had extended the invitation to Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem to attend his javelin event two days before the Pahalgam terror attack, which the government said had ‘cross-border links’.
At a press conference Monday, Neeraj said the Paris Olympic gold medalist was among the top javelin throwers invited to the Neeraj Chopra Classic, scheduled to be held in Bengaluru next month. However, a final list of participants released by the organisers last night did not have Nadeem’s name on it.
Nadeem also confirmed to various media Thursday that he had declined the invitation because it clashed with his Asian Athletics Championship training period.
On Friday, in a statement posted on X, while calling out the “hate and abuse” directed towards him and his family, Neeraj said that Arshad’s participation in the event was “completely out of the question” after Tuesday’s terror attack that left 26 people dead.
“I usually am a man of few words, but that doesn’t mean I will not speak up against what I think is wrong. More so when it comes to questioning my love for our country, and the respect and honour of my family. There has been so much talk about my decision to invite Arshad Nadeem to compete in the Neeraj Chopra Classic, and most of it has been hate and abuse,” he wrote on X.
He said the “invites had gone out to all athletes on Monday, two days before the terrorist attacks at Pahalgam”.
— Neeraj Chopra (@Neeraj_chopra1) April 25, 2025
The aim of the NC Classic, Neera said, was to bring the best athletes to India and for our country to be the home of world-class sporting events, adding that the invite to Arshad was “from one athlete to another — nothing more, nothing less”.
“My country and its interests will always come first. To those that are going through the loss of their people, my thoughts and prayers are with you. Along with the entire nation, I am both hurt and angry at what has taken place,” he further said.
He also called out the media for creating “false narratives” around him. “Just because I do not speak up, it doesn’t make it true. I also find it difficult to understand how people switch opinions.”
Nadeem is the reigning Olympic and Commonwealth Games champion, and also the current World Athletics Championship silver medalist.
His 92.97 throw at the Paris Olympics is an Olympic and Asian record, and also the sixth longest throw in the history of the sport.
Meanwhile, Neeraj won the gold medal in the men’s javelin throw at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. He became the first Indian track and field athlete to win an Olympic gold.
He also won a silver medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
(Edited by Sanya Mathur)
Also Read: ‘He was full of masti, gone too soon.’ At Pahalgam victim Neeraj Udhwani’s funeral
Mr. Neeraj Chopra belongs to the “Aman ka Tamasha” gang. He has always been a part of the liberal cabal. His excuses do not cover up for his deeds.