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Neeraj Chopra clarifies his distant relationship with Arshad Nadeem amid Indo-Pak tensions and addresses social media backlash over the NC Classic invitation.
Star javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra on Thursday clarified that he and Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem were never really close friends and acknowledged that things will not be the same between India and Pakistan following recent conflicts.
The decorated athlete and his family faced a barrage of abuse on social media after Chopra extended an invitation to Nadeem for the now-postponed NC Classic in Bengaluru. The invitation came in the aftermath of last month’s Pahalgam terror attack, which killed 26 people, mostly tourists, and was linked to Pakistan-based terrorists.
Addressing the media on the eve of the Diamond League event in Doha, the two-time Olympic medallist and reigning world champion sought to clear the air regarding his relationship with Nadeem, who won gold at the Paris Games last year, following Chopra’s gold at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.
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"First I would like to clarify that I don't have very strong relationship (with Nadeem), we were never really close friends or something. But, because of this (tensions on the Indo-Pak border), it will not be like before. But if someone talks to me respectfully I reciprocate the respect," Chopra told reporters during a press conference.
“Yes, as an athlete we have to talk, I have some good friends from the athlete community from all round the world, not only in javelin throw, but also other events. If somebody talks to me respectfully, I will also talk to him with full respect. Javelin is a very small community and everyone is competing for their country and everyone wants to give their best,” Chopra added.
Chopra had earlier expressed deep hurt over abusive social media posts that questioned his and his family’s integrity after inviting Nadeem to the tournament held in his honour. He clarified that the invitations for the NC Classic were sent out a day before the Pahalgam terror attack took place.
