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

Star Indian javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra has firmly clarified that he and Pakistan바카라�s Olympic champion Arshad Nadeem were never 바카라�very close friends바카라� and acknowledged that their dynamic 바카라� as athletes and as individuals 바카라� 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.

바카라�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,바카라� Chopra said in a press conference, directly addressing the backlash and the assumptions surrounding his ties with Nadeem.

The controversy erupted after Chopra바카라�s team sent out invitations to several elite athletes 바카라� including Nadeem 바카라� 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.

바카라�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,바카라� he said. 바카라�If somebody talks to me respectfully, I will also talk to him with full respect. But it바카라�s not what people think it is.바카라�

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

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

However, Chopra바카라�s latest statement is a reminder that elite sport doesn바카라�t operate in a vacuum. 바카라�Javelin is a very small community and everyone is competing for their country and wants to give their best,바카라� he said, reaffirming that performance and respect remain the only constants in his professional life.