BENGALURU (Kashmir English): Indian javelin throw ace Neeraj Chopra has postponed an eponymous javelin event slated to be held in the country later this month after his country and neighbouring Pakistan entered into their worst fighting in nearly three decades.
Javelin event was fixed for May 24
The Neeraj Chopra Classic, a World Athletics Gold category meet, was to be held in the southern Indian city of Bengaluru on May 24, featuring a host of international names including Anderson Peters, Julius Yego, Thomas Roehler and Curtis Thompson.
Earlier, India and Pakistan suspended their T20 cricket leagues on Friday in the wake of the ongoing conflict between the nuclear-armed nations.
“This decision has been made after careful thought and consultation, with the wellbeing of athletes, stakeholders, and the broader community as the top priority,” Chopra’s team announced on social media.
“We believe in the unifying power of sport. But, in this critical moment, standing firm with the nation matters most. All our gratitude and thoughts at this point are only with our Armed Forces, who are at the forefront for our nation.”
Last month Chopra ruled out the participation of Paris Olympics gold medalist Arshad Nadeem of Pakistan in the meet following a deadly attack in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
Chopra, who won gold at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, said a revised schedule for his event would be provided in due course.
It is to mention that both India and Pakistan agreed to a US-pushed ceasefire on Saturday following days of escalation.
