The Impressive TimesNEW DELHI,25 APRIL 2025 : Indian javelin throw star Neeraj Chopra revealed on Friday that he has been subjected to “hate and abuse” after inviting Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem to next month’s inaugural NC Classic in Bengaluru. Chopra clarified that Nadeem’s participation was “completely out of question” following the tragic Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed the lives of several innocent civilians. Chopra, the Olympic gold medallist from Tokyo 2020 and the silver medalist at the Paris Games, expressed his deep disappointment at the online hate directed towards him and his family. He mentioned that the integrity of both him and his family had been questioned through abusive social media posts, leaving him hurt. The invitation to Nadeem came after the Pakistani athlete triumphed over Chopra to win the gold medal at the World Athletics Championships in Paris last year, which marked a high point in their sporting rivalry. Chopra extended the invitation to Nadeem for the inaugural Neeraj Chopra Classic, set to take place in Bengaluru on May 24, aiming to foster goodwill and sportsmanship despite their rivalry on the field. However, in light of the recent terror attack in Pahalgam, Chopra stated that the current situation has made it impossible for Nadeem to participate.
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