Neeraj Chopra lashes out after facing ‘hate and abuse’ for inviting Arshad Nadeem to India

Indian javelin star Neeraj Chopra strongly responded to the criticism he faced in his own country for inviting Pakistan’s Olympic ace Arshad Nadeem to a javelin event in Bengaluru. Chopra expressed deep regret over the ‘hate and abuse’ directed at him and his family over a simple act of sportsmanship.

Nadeem was invited to participate in the Neeraj Chopra Classic Javelin Throw Event, scheduled to take place on May 24 in Bengaluru. However, the Pakistani athlete respectfully declined the invitation due to prior commitments, as he is currently preparing for the Asian Athletics Championships set for May 27–31.

Chopra extended the invitation just two days before the gunmen attack in the Pahalgam tourist area of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), where 26 sightseeing visitors were killed and dozens injured.

Read: Arshad Nadeem's mother says she will invite Neeraj Chopra to visit Pakistan

Following this incident, nationalist outrage in India escalated, and Neeraj's invitation, coinciding with the Pahalgam attack, was used by some to stir anti-Pakistan sentiment.

Neeraj Chopra, despite being a national hero and Olympic gold medalist, was not spared. He faced severe backlash online.

In a firm statement, Chopra slammed the critics for dragging his family into the controversy and for turning a goodwill gesture into a political issue.

“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. They haven’t even left my family out of it. The invitation I extended to Arshad was from one athlete to another — nothing more, nothing less.”

“After all that has taken place over the last 48 hours, Arshad’s presence at the NC Classic was completely out of the question. 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,” he added.

Chopra also expressed disappointment with sections of the Indian media for amplifying hate and encouraging divisive discourse.

Check: "Arshad Nadeem is also like our son," says Neeraj Chopra's mother

“It pains me that I have to explain myself to people who are targeting not just me but also my family,” he said, adding that he media has fueled false narratives and given space to extremist voices that are twisting a simple sports-related invitation into something sinister.

“I also find it difficult to understand how people switch opinions. When my mother, in her simplivity, had made an innocent comment a year ago. There was an outpouring of praise for her views. Today, the same people haven't held back from targeting her for that very same statement,” he concluded.