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Olympic javelin champion Neeraj Chopra faced a wave of online criticism after inviting Pakistani athlete Arshad Nadeem to the Neeraj Chopra Classic, scheduled for May 24 in Bengaluru. The invitation, sent two days before the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 Indian tourists, sparked criticism and trolling, targeting even Chopra’s family. Olympic wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt has now stepped up to support his fellow athlete, condemning the trolls.
pic.twitter.com/yMsX8ggnLA
— Neeraj Chopra (@Neeraj_chopra1) April 25, 2025
In a post on X, Neeraj Chopra issued a statement saying, “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.” He added that his invitation meant nothing more than one athlete inviting other to compete.
Dutt, in a heartfelt Hindi post, praised Chopra’s patriotism saying, “Neeraj Bhai, you neither need to prove your patriotism nor to prove yourself. It is only a sportsperson and a soldier who raise the Tricolour flag on foreign soil and glorify the name of their land. And you are a soldier along with being a sportsperson,” Dutt wrote.
नीरज भाई तुम्हें न तो अपनी देश भक्ति साबित करने की जरूरत है और न ही अपने आपको सिद्ध करने की।
एक खिलाड़ी और एक फौजी ही हैं जो विदेशी धरती पर तिरंगे का झंडा बुलंद करके अपनी माटी का नाम रोशन करते हैं। और आप तो एक खिलाड़ी के साथ एक फौजी भी हो।
ये अनर्गल बोलने वाले वो तुच्छ वैचारिक… https://t.co/fcblQNa6I4
— Yogeshwar Dutt (@DuttYogi) April 26, 2025
“These people who speak nonsense are those trivial ideological people who are neither concerned about the country nor patriotism. You are a champion, you are the leader of the nation, keep moving ahead like this. The champion is always the best,” he added.
The country is currently mourning the death of 26 tourists who were gunned down by Pakistan-backed terrorists in the Baisaran meadow. Tensions are running high between India and Pakistan as both country seem to be battle ready in the wake of the killings.
