Olympic gold medalist Neeraj Chopra lashed out at rumor mongers, asking people not to use his remarks about Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem to further vested interests and propaganda.
Chopra, in a recent interview, stated that he was searching for his personal javelin before his first throw during the Olympic final on August 7 and found Nedeem holding it.
This had resulted in many people blaming Arshad for something that is completely within laws of the sport.
According to rules, any javelin submitted to the officials by a competitor for his use can also be used by any other participant. This rule applies in all field events except for pole vault.
Chopra, who had used Valhalla version of Nordic brand during the final, made it clear that Nadeem, who had finished fifth, had not done anything wrong. “A controversy (mudda) has come up that I had talked about taking the javelin from Pakistani participant Arshad Nadeem before my first throw in the final (on August 7). It has been made into a big controversy,” Chopra said in a video clip posted along with his tweet.
“It’s is a very simple thing, we keep our personal javelin (inside a holding rack) but it can be used by anybody. It is the rule and there is nothing wrong in that. He (Nadeem) was having the javelin and preparing for his throw. I asked him to give it to me for my throw.”
“I am very sad that a big controversy has been created taking my name. We javelin throwers share a good bond and speak to each other nicely.” A former coach echoed Chopra’s view.
“There is no controversy. It is not that you brought your personal javelin and nobody can use it. When you submitted it, others can also use it. Any participant can use any javelin which is there (in the holding rack),” he told PTI.