“Arshad Nadeem was not tampering with my javelin. He was just practicing for his throw, and nothing else,” clarified Neeraj.
Fellow Javelin thrower Arshad Nadeem of Pakistan was not tampering with his spear before his first throw at the Tokyo Olympics, Olympic gold medalist Neeraj Chopra on Thursday.
Posting a video on his social media platforms, Neeraj Chopra said that anyone can use anyone’s javelin; there is no specific rule about it.
“Arshad Nadeem was not tampering with my javelin. He was just practicing for his throw, and nothing else,” clarified Neeraj.
“We keep our personal javelin during the event and anyone can use it. There is no specific rule about it,” said Neeraj.
मेरी आप सभी से विनती है की मेरे comments को अपने गंदे एजेंडा को आगे बढ़ाने का माध्यम न बनाए। Sports हम सबको एकजूट होकर साथ रहना सिखाता हैं और कमेंट करने से पहले खेल के रूल्स जानना जरूरी होता है pic.twitter.com/RLv96FZTd2
— Neeraj Chopra (@Neeraj_chopra1) August 26, 2021
The 23-year-old athelete, in an interview with the Times of India, has said that before his first throw he was not able to fins his javelin as Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem was moving around with it.
“I was searching for my javelin at the start of the final. I was not able to find it. Suddenly, I saw Arshad Nadeem was moving around with my javelin. Then I told him, ‘Bhai give this javelin to me! I have to throw with it.’ Then he gave it back to me. That’s why you must have seen I took my first throw hurriedly,” Neeraj Chopra was quoted as saying by Times Of India.
Neeraj Chopra stressed that he is extremely disappointed to see some of the reactions from the public and feels it was blown out of the proportion.
“I would request everyone to please not use me and my comments as a medium to further your vested interests and propaganda,” said Neeraj.
“Sports teaches us to be together and united. All the javelin throwers talk nicely to each other and ”
“I’m extremely disappointed to see some of the reactions from the public on my recent comments,” he said.
Neeraj Chopra won the javelin gold with a throw of 87.58 meters at the Tokyo Olympics.
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