Neeraj Chopra urges people to stop using his name for 'dirty agenda' against Arshad Nadeem

A section of the Indian population alleged Arshad Nadeem was tampering with Neeraj's javelin before the gold medal match.

Neeraj Chopra has achieved tremendous history by winning the gold in javelin in Tokyo Olympics 2020. (Image credit: Twitter)
By Nilavro Ghosh | Aug 26, 2021 | 3 Min Read follow icon Follow Us

Olympic gold-medalist Neeraj Chopra released a video on his social media platforms on Thursday where he said that he was extremely disappointed by how a certain section of Indians reacted to Pakistan javelin thrower Arshad Nadeem using his javelin ahead of the gold medal match at the Tokyo Olympics. In an earlier interview, Neeraj had said that he was searching for his personal javelin before his first throw during the Olympic final on August 7 and found Nadeem holding it. The statement was blown out of proportions by a section of the Indian population that alleged Arshad was tampering with Neeraj’s javelin before the gold medal match.

‘DIRTY AGENDA’

Neeraj would go on social media to call these allegations out as baseless and false. He also urged in the video for people to not use his name to forward their propaganda. “Please do not use my name to push a dirty agenda,” he said. “I would request everyone to please not use me and my comments as a medium to further your vested interest and propaganda. Sports teaches us to be together and united. I’m extremely disappointed to see some of the reactions from the public on my recent comments,” Neeraj added.

He went on to explain that there was nothing Arshad had done wrong. According to rules, any javelin submitted to the officials by a competitor for his use can also be used by any other participant. This rule applies in all field events except for pole vault. “There was nothing wrong with Arshad Nadeem using my javelin to prepare, it is within rules, and please do not use my name to push a dirty agenda,” the Olympic gold medalist continued.

He said that his comments were completely misinterpreted and the whole issue was turned into a massive controversy. “A controversy has come up that I had talked about taking the javelin from Pakistani participant Arshad Nadeem before my first throw in the final (on August 7). It has been made into a big controversy,” Neeraj said.

GOOD BOND

The athlete also confirmed that Arshad was just using his javelin to prepare for the event, which was completely within the rules. He also said that the javelin throwers share a good bond thus there was no reason to pin false allegations on a fellow athlete. “It’s is a very simple thing, we keep our personal javelin (inside a holding rack) but it can be used by anybody. It is the rule and there is nothing wrong in that. He (Nadeem) was having the javelin and preparing for his throw. I asked him to give it to me for my throw,” he said. “I am very sad that a big controversy has been created taking my name. We javelin throwers share a good bond and speak to each other nicely,” Neeraj added.

Neeraj Chopra won India’s first-ever athletics gold medal at the recently concluded Tokyo Olympics. It was India’s first gold medal since 2008 when Abhinav Bindra had won a gold in shooting, and also the country’s second-ever individual gold.