Paris olympics
After Pahalgam Attack, Arshad's Presence At NC Classic Was Completely Out Of The Question: Neeraj Chopra
Neeraj said that he and his family have faced a backlash for inviting Arshad for the one-day spectacle at the Sri Kanteerva Stadium in Bengaluru on May 24. However, the Indian athlete clarified that the invitation was sent before the attack and was purely based on Arshad being the reigning Olympic gold medallist as he wants to bring the world's best talent in the country. He mentioned that after the tragic incident, Arshad's participation was "completely out of the question".
"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 haven't even left my family out of it. The invitation I extended to Arshad was from one athlete to another - nothing more, nothing less. 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," Neeraj wrote in a statement on social media.
