Indian javelin star Neeraj Chopra has publicly denounced internet trolls and media outlets for targeting his family and questioning his patriotism following his invitation to Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem for the Neeraj Chopra Classic. In a statement posted on X on April 25, 2025, the Olympic medalist expressed his anguish over the hate and abuse directed at him and his loved ones.
Chopra clarified that his invitation to Nadeem, extended on Monday, was a purely athletic gesture, aimed at bringing top global talent to the inaugural Neeraj Chopra Classic, scheduled for May 24 in Bengaluru. “The invitation I extended to Arshad was from one athlete to another nothing more, nothing less,” he wrote, emphasizing the event’s goal to position India as a hub for world-class sporting competitions. However, the invite, sent two days before the tragic terror attack in Pahalgam that claimed 26 lives, sparked intense backlash online, with critics attacking Chopra’s loyalty to India.
The athlete, a Subedar Major in the Indian Army, stressed that Nadeem’s participation became untenable after the Pahalgam incident. “My country and its interests will always come first,” Chopra asserted, noting that the attacks had made Nadeem’s presence at the event “completely out of the question.” He also extended condolences to the victims’ families, aligning himself with the nation’s grief and anger.
Chopra further addressed the targeting of his mother, Saroj Devi, whose earlier comment praising Nadeem after the Paris Olympics had been widely lauded. He expressed dismay that the same individuals who once celebrated her words were now vilifying her. “We are simple people, please don’t make us out to be anything else,” he urged.
The Neeraj Chopra Classic, now set to feature athletes like Anderson Peters and Thomas Rohler, remains a landmark event for Indian athletics. Despite Nadeem’s absence, confirmed due to a scheduling conflict with the Asian Athletics Championships, Chopra vowed to continue promoting India’s sporting legacy. “I will work even harder to ensure that the world remembers India… for all the right reasons,” he concluded.
