'Country and its interests first.' Neeraj Chopra hits back, says invite to Arshad Nadeem was from 'one athlete to another'
India¡¯s Olympic gold medallist Neeraj Chopra has responded to heavy criticism over inviting Pakistani athlete Arshad Nadeem to the NC Classic javelin event. Chopra clarified that the invitation was sent before the Pahalgam terror attack, and after the recent tragedy, Nadeem¡¯s presence was ¡°completely out of the question.¡±
In the wake of a deadly terror attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir, that left 26 people dead, Indian Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra has found himself at the centre of a storm. Chopra, who is organising the NC Classic ¨C a first-of-its-kind elite international javelin event ¨C was criticised online for inviting Pakistani javelin thrower and Olympic champion Arshad Nadeem.
Neeraj Chopra responds to controversy: ¡°Arshad Nadeem invite was pre-attack and ¡®out of the question¡¯ now¡±
Addressing the growing backlash, Neeraj issued a public statement clarifying the timeline and intention behind the invitation. He stated that the invite to Arshad was extended well before the tragic events in Kashmir unfolded. Chopra emphasised that the gestuer was made from one athlete to another, as part of India¡¯s effort to build a world-class athletics event under the umbrella of World Athletics and the Athletics Federation of India.
The horrifying Pahalgam terror attack on April 22
However, after the horrifying attack in Pahalgam, in which 25 tourists and a local were killed, the situation changed dramatically. According to Chopra, in light of national sentiment and the gravity of the tragedy, ¡°Arshad¡¯s participation became completely out of the question.¡±
Neeraj Chopra opens up
Neeraj added that the hate and abuse directed towards him and his family had been both painful and disappointing. He expressed dismay at having his patriotism questioned over what he insisted was a professional sporting decision taken much earlier.
At a press conference held earlier this week, Neeraj had revealed that several top international athletes had been invited, including Arshad Nadeem. At the time, Nadeem had not confirmed his participation. However, organisers have since released the final list of participants, and Arshad¡¯s name is not on it.
Arshad Nadeem declined the invite
Reportedly, Arshad has officially declined the invite, citing a scheduling conflict due to his training for the upcoming Asian Athletics Championships. The NC Classic, jointly organised by Neeraj Chopra and JSW Sports, is set to take place on 24 May in Bengaluru, marking a landmark moment in Indian athletics.
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