Surprisingly, this prompted a wave of backlash—not towards Nadeem, but towards Indian Olympic gold medalist Neeraj Chopra. Several Indian fans took to social media to express their anger at Chopra, referencing his past camaraderie with Nadeem.
One user wrote, “Slap on the face of Neeraj Chopra.”
Another tweeted, “Not a single word from @Neeraj_chopra1 but his brother from another mother supports his country.”
Last month, Chopra faced similar criticism for inviting Arshad Nadeem to the Neeraj Chopra Classic, a premier athletics event in India. In response to the backlash, Chopra had clarified that the invitation was extended before the tragic Pahalgam terror attack, where 26 civilians were killed.
Chopra emphasized that his invitation was strictly athlete-to-athlete and apolitical in nature. “The aim of the NC Classic was to bring the best athletes to India and make our country a hub for world-class sporting events. Please don’t make us out to be anything else. We are simple people,” he wrote.
In a heartfelt message, Chopra also confirmed that Nadeem’s participation in the event was later canceled in light of the recent developments. “After all that has taken place over the last 48 hours, Arshad’s presence at the NC Classic was completely out of the question. My country and its interests will always come first.”
He further expressed sorrow and anger over the terror attack, offering prayers to the bereaved families. Addressing the online abuse, he said: “There has been so much talk, most of it hate and abuse. They haven’t even spared my family. I have carried my country with pride for so many years. It hurts that I now have to explain myself.”
Chopra also recalled how some of the same people now criticizing him had once praised his family. “We are simple people, please don’t make us out to be anything else,” he concluded.
