Neeraj Chopra On Arshad Nadeem: 'We Were Never Really Close Friends, Says 온라인카지노 Javelin Throw Star

Star 온라인카지노 javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra has firmly clarified that he and Pakistan’s Olympic champion Arshad Nadeem were never “very close friends” and acknowledged that their dynamic — as athletes and as individuals — would no longer be the same in the wake of heightened India-Pakistan tensions.

Speaking on the eve of the Diamond League in Doha, the reigning world champion sought to end speculation over his personal rapport with Nadeem, especially after facing a barrage of online abuse following the invitation extended to the Pakistani athlete for the now-postponed NC Classic in Bengaluru.

“First I would like to clarify that I don't have a very strong relationship with Arshad. We were never really close friends or something. But, because of this [recent conflict], it will not be like before,” Chopra said in a press conference, directly addressing the backlash and the assumptions surrounding his ties with Nadeem.

The controversy erupted after Chopra’s team sent out invitations to several elite athletes — including Nadeem — for the inaugural NC Classic, a meet conceptualised to promote athletics in India.

However, following the tragic Pahalgam terror attack that claimed the lives of 26 civilians, most of them tourists, Chopra and his family became targets of online abuse, with many questioning why an athlete from Pakistan was invited amid such rising tensions.

Chopra had clarified earlier that invitations for the event had been dispatched a day before the terror attack, but the uproar continued. On Thursday, he reiterated that while he maintains respect for fellow athletes across the world, the strained political climate affects interpersonal dynamics.

“Yes, as an athlete we have to talk. I have good friends from the athletics community from all over the world, not just in javelin but in other events too,” he said. “If somebody talks to me respectfully, I will also talk to him with full respect. But it’s not what people think it is.”

Chopra and Nadeem have shared a high-profile sporting rivalry since the Tokyo Olympics, where Chopra won gold and Nadeem finished fifth.

Their bond — often perceived as symbolic of sportsmanship beyond borders — has been celebrated by fans and the media, especially when they shared warm moments at the 2022 Commonwealth Games and World Championships.

However, Chopra’s latest statement is a reminder that elite sport doesn’t operate in a vacuum. “Javelin is a very small community and everyone is competing for their country and wants to give their best,” he said, reaffirming that performance and respect remain the only constants in his professional life.