Pakistan’s Olympic javelin champion Arshad Nadeem and India’s Neeraj Chopra are set to lock horns next month at the Diamond League event in Silesia, Poland, in their first head-to-head contest since the Paris Olympics, it emerged on Saturday.
The match-up comes amid heightened political tensions between Pakistan and India, which have spilt over into the world of sports.
A press release from the Diamond League, issued on July 9, announced the athletes taking part in the upcoming competition in Poland, including Kenyan middle-distance runner Faith Kipyegon.
The contest between Nadeem and Chopra was described as “the first opportunity for revenge after the Paris Olympics”.
“The Pakistani’s form remains something of a mystery, as he rarely appears on the European circuit,” the press release read. “The exception he will make on August 16 results from his desire to face Chopra.”
The press release noted that Chopra threw 90 metres this spring, adding that he is “yearning for more”. Last week, Chopra headlined the ‘Neeraj Chopra Classic’ — billed as India’s inaugural world-class field competition — and walked away with another gold medal.
In May, Nadeem threw a massive 86.4m to win gold in the men’s javelin final at the Asian Athletics Championship in Gumi, South Korea.
A day before an April 22 terrorist attack in occupied Kashmir, Chopra had announced that the world’s top throwers, including Nadeem, had been invited to the first Neeraj Chopra Classic. However, the attack in Kashmir prompted heavy criticism of Chopra’s decision to invite Nadeem.
Nadeem ultimately did not attend the event.
