‘Pakistan government must...’: Neeraj Chopra on Arshad Nadeem’s struggle to acquire new javelin
Pakistan's Arsahd Nadeem and India's Neeraj Chopra
Olympic gold medalist Neeraj Chopra has expressed shock over recent reports that his compatriot, Pakistan's Arshad Nadeem was struggling to acquire a new javelin to prepare for the upcoming competitions, including the Paris Olympics.
Chopra and Nadeem have been two of the brightest stars to come out of Asia in recent years in athletics. WhileChopra won gold at the Tokyo Olympics, Nadeem secured the top spot at the 2022 Commonwealth Games with a 90.18-metre throw.
“It is hard to believe that he has been struggling to get a new javelin. Given his credentials, this should not be a big issue at all,” Chopra said to SAI Media on Monday (Mar 18).
“It can’t be that he (Nadeem) doesn’t have the means to buy a javelin. He is a champion and must be doing some brand endorsements. I reckon he has earned a bit of money too. But having said that, his government must look at Arshad’s (Nadeem) needs and support him just like how my government is doing,” Chopra added.
Unlike Nadeem, Chopra's entire training and international tours are funded by the central government'sTarget Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS).
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What did Nadeem say?
Chopra's statement comes after Nadeem earlier this month revealedhe did not have a new international standard javelin for many years.
"It has now got to a stage where the javelin is damaged and I have asked the national federation and my coach to do something about it before the Paris Olympics," said Nadeem.
"When I started off in 2015, competing in international events I got this javelin. For an international athlete aiming to win a medal in the Olympic Games, you need proper equipment and training facilities," Nadeem added.
Nadeem remains Pakistan's only medal hope at the Olympics and his condition drew attention of netizens who urged the Pakistani authorities to support their star athlete.
Despite the acrimony between the two countries, Chopra and Nadeem have shown exemplarysportsmanship and respect towards each other.
If Nadeem is able to sort out his javelin issue, the Paris Olympics might witnesses strong Asian field. Chopra and Kishore Jena will sperahead the Indian challenge while Nadeem, who finished fifth in Tokyo, will attempt another crack at a podium finish.
(With inputs from agencies)