In a setback for athletics fans, the much-anticipated clash between India's Neeraj Chopra and Pakistan's Arshad Nadeem will not take place at the upcoming
Silesia Diamond League in Poland. Both Olympic medallists have withdrawn from the event, which was scheduled for Saturday (August 16), leaving supporters disappointed.
Arshad Nadeem, who made history at the Paris Olympics 2024 by winning gold with a massive 92.97m throw, has been ruled out due to injury. The 27-year-old recently underwent surgery on his right calf in July, and his coach confirmed that he will not be fit to compete.
The reason behind Neeraj Chopra's withdrawal has not been officially confirmed, but speculation suggests it may be linked to heightened Indo-Pak tensions. Following the Pahalgam terror attack in April-carried out by Pakistani terrorists-and subsequent cross-border hostilities between the two nations' armies in May, Indian athletes and teams have largely avoided direct participation in events involving Pakistan. This broader diplomatic and sporting freeze could well be a factor in Neeraj's decision.
Neeraj had been in strong form this season, starting with a victory at the Potch Invitational in South Africa in April. He then made headlines at the Doha Diamond League, breaking the 90m barrier for the first time in his career with a throw of 90.23m, finishing second.
Continuing his fine run, Neeraj secured another second-place finish at the Janusz Kusocinski Memorial in Poland before winning the inaugural Neeraj Chopra Classic in Bengaluru. The event, held at the Sri Kanteerava Outdoor Stadium and named in his honour, was meant to feature Nadeem as well, but the Pakistani star wasn't invited-reportedly due to the same geopolitical tensions.
The Silesia meet was expected to reignite the India-Pakistan rivalry in athletics after Nadeem narrowly edged Neeraj for gold at the Paris Olympics, where the Indian star claimed silver with an 89.45m throw.
Both athletes are now shifting focus to the upcoming World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, scheduled from September 13 to 21. Neeraj, the defending world champion from 2023, might also feature in the Brussels Diamond League on August 22.
For now, fans will have to wait for calmer times before the iconic Neeraj-Nadeem showdown returns to the field.
