Neeraj Chopra clarifies relationship with Arshad Naadem, says, "I didn't have very strong..."

Doha [Qatar], May 15 (ANI): India's World Champion and Olympic gold medalist javelin thrower opened up on his relationship with his Pakistan counterpart, the Paris Olympics 2024 champion Arshad Nadeem, amidst ongoing tensions between both nations, saying that he does not have a "very strong relationship" with him.
Neeraj will be competing in the Doha Diamond League on Friday. The world champion athlete will be the headlining act during the event scheduled at Qatar Sports Club on Friday.
Speaking during the pre-event presser to the reporters, Neeraj said, "First of all, I really wanted to (make it) clear that I did not have a very strong relationship (with Nadeem)," Chopra said at a press conference.
"As athletes, we have to talk, and I have some good friends in the athletics community and from all around the world. Not just javelin throwers, but also other events. But yeah, if someone talks to me respectfully, I also talk to them respectfully," he added.
"Because of this (recent border tension between India and Pakistan), it will not be like something like before (his relationship with Nadeem). If somebody gives me respect, I will give him the same," he concluded.
Notably, after the Pahalgam terror attack, Neeraj had faced backlash for his decision to extend the invitation to Nadeem for the Neeraj Chopra Classic 2025 in Bengaluru, supposed to be held on May 24, but has now been postponed as of now due to tensions between India and Pakistan.
Having competed with Arshad at events since 2016, Neeraj has a dominant lead of 9-1 over the Pakistani athlete.
Neeraj later silenced his critics and said that the invitation he sent to Nadeem was from "one athlete to another" and there was "nothing more" to it.
"I usually am a man of few words, but that doesn't mean I will not speak up against what I think is wrong. More so when it comes to questioning my love for our country, and the respect and honour of my family. There has been so much talk about my decision to invite Arshad Nadeem to compete in the Neeraj Chopra Classic, and most of it has been hate and abuse. They have not even left my family out of it. The invitation I extended to Arshad was from one athlete to another - nothing more, nothing less," Neeraj wrote in a statement he shared on X.
Neeraj clarified that the invitations were sent out a day before the tragic incident took place, and continued, "The aim of the NC Classic was to bring the best athletes to India and for our country to be the home of world-class sporting events. Invites had gone out to all athletes on Monday, two days before the terrorist attacks at Pahalgam."
"After all that has taken place over the last 48 hours, Arshad's presence at the NC Classic was completely out of the question. My country and its interests will always come first. To those who are going through the loss of their people, my thoughts and prayers are with you. Along with the entire nation, I am both hurt and angry at what has taken place," he added.
Neeraj shifted his focus to the criticism he and his family have faced for inviting Neeraj to the competition. Neeraj, "hurt" after seeing the "false narratives" being run against him and "integrity" being questioned, feels that people are targeting him and his family for "no good reason".
"I am confident that our country's response will show our strength as a nation, and justice will be served. I have carried my country with pride for so many years now, and so it hurts to see my integrity being questioned. It pains me that I have to explain myself to people who are targeting me and my family, with no good reason. We are simple people, please don't make us out to be anything else. There are so many false narratives that certain sections of the media have created around me, but just because I do not speak up, it doesn't make it true," he wrote.
After Arshad ousted Neeraj to win the gold medal in last year's Paris Olympics, Neeraj's mother, Saroj Devi, had said that Arshad was like a "son" to her. The 27-year-old pointed out how people have recently targeted her mother for her "innocent" remark about Arshad, the same statement for which she had been praised by many.
"I also find it difficult to understand how people switch opinions. When my mother - in her simplicity - had made an innocent comment a year ago, there was an outpouring of praise for her views. Today, the same people have not held back from targeting her for that very same statement. I, meanwhile, will work even harder to ensure that the world remembers India and looks at it with envy and respect for all the right reasons. Jai Hind," he concluded. (ANI)