Pakistan player did no wrong, asserts Neeraj Chopra

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, August 26

India’s second individual Olympic gold medallist Neeraj Chopra is slowly realising the pitfalls of fame. Neeraj, whose javelin throw of 87.58 m ensured India’s first-ever gold in athletics, was caught up in a controversy involving Pakistan’s javelin star Arshad Nadeem.

Why the row, Don’t use my name

I will request everyone not to use my comments as a medium to further their vested interests and propaganda. — Neeraj Chopra, Javelin star

In one of his interviews, Neeraj said he could not locate his javelin before his first throw in the finals. A controversy erupted thereafter with some websites suggesting that Nadeem tried to tamper with Neeraj’s javelin. On Wednesday, the 23-year-old javelin star from Haryana’s Khandra village, issued a clarification to put the controversy to rest, via his social media page, saying Nadeem had not done anything wrong or malicious.

“I would request everyone to please not use me and my comments as a medium to further your vested interests and propaganda. Sports teach us to be together and united. I’m extremely disappointed to see some of the reactions from the public on my recent comments,” Neeraj tweeted.

He also released a video to support his comments.

“We can use personal javelin, which, when submitted, all athletes can use it as per rules. He has not done anything wrong. He was only preparing for this throw and I got it back from him before my throw. I am sad some people are using my name to further their agenda,” he said.