A day after Olympic javelin champion Neeraj Chopra faced a barrage of online hate and abuse for inviting Pakistani athlete Arshad Nadeem to his upcoming Neeraj Chopra Classic event, fellow Olympic medallist wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt has stepped forward to offer his strong support. Chopra had clarified that the invitation to Nadeem, the reigning Olympic champion from Pakistan, was extended two days prior to the recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam.
The controversy erupted after news of the invitation circulated online, leading to unwarranted criticism and trolling directed at Chopra, even extending to his family. In response, a visibly emotional Chopra issued a statement defending his intentions and appealing to the trolls to leave his family out of the matter.
Throwing his weight behind Chopra, Yogeshwar Dutt took to social media to express his solidarity. In a heartfelt message written in Hindi, Dutt lauded Chopra's patriotism and achievements.
“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. 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,” Dutt’s post read.
Earlier, Neeraj Chopra himself addressed the issue in a detailed statement on his social media platforms. He expressed his disappointment at the unwarranted negativity surrounding a simple sporting invitation. “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,” Chopra stated. “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. After all that has taken place over the last 48 hours, Arshad’s presence at the NC Classic was completely out of the question.”
{{/usCountry}}Earlier, Neeraj Chopra himself addressed the issue in a detailed statement on his social media platforms. He expressed his disappointment at the unwarranted negativity surrounding a simple sporting invitation. “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,” Chopra stated. “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. After all that has taken place over the last 48 hours, Arshad’s presence at the NC Classic was completely out of the question.”
{{/usCountry}}Chopra further emphasized his unwavering commitment to his nation, especially in light of the recent tragic events. “My country and its interests will always come first. To those that are going through the loss of their people, my thoughts and prayers are with you. Along with the entire nation, I am both hurt and angry at what has taken place. I am confident that our country’s response will show our strength as a nation and justice will be served,” he affirmed.
Yogeshwar Dutt’s strong support underscores the sentiment within the sporting fraternity, recognizing Chopra’s achievements and his right to extend a sporting invitation without his patriotism being questioned. The incident highlights the unfortunate prevalence of online toxicity and the need for respectful discourse, especially concerning athletes who have brought immense pride to the nation.