Arshad Nadeem busts Pakistan's 'fake' prizes for beating India's Neeraj Chopra at Olympics: 'Didn't receive any plot'

Hindustan Times

18-07-2025

Olympic champion Arshad Nadeem has not received any plot, announced as a prize, for beating Games favourite India's Neeraj Chopra to win Pakistan's first-ever Olympic gold medal at the men's javelin event in Paris last year. Nadeem beat defending champions Neeraj Chopra (he won silver) with a 92.97 metres throw in the men's javelin final to break the Olympic record, surpassing Denmark's Andreas Thorkildsen's mark from Beijing 2008. Silver medallist India's Neeraj Chopra and gold medallist Pakistan's Arshad Nadeem celebrate (File photo)(PTI)
After Nadeem created history with a gold medal at the Paris Olympics, the Pakistan government, state authorities, and public entities announced multiple rewards, including cash, plots, recognition, and honours. A year later, as Nadeem gears up for another face-off with Indian superstar Neeraj Chopra at the Silesia Diamond League on August 16, he busted the "fake" promises.
"Out of all the prize announcements made to me, all the plot announcements were fake, which I did not receive. Apart from that, I have received all the cash prizes that were announced," Nadeem told Geo TV before leaving for the UK to undergo surgery for his hamstring injury.
The lanky javelin thrower, who did not get any support from the government before the Paris Olympics, however, added that he is focussed on training.
'My entire focus is on myself, but apart from that, we train any youth who comes to us for training, and this training is given by my coach Salman Butt,' he said.
If Nadeem, who has undergone successful surgery for this injury that had kept him away from the track, recovers in time, he could face Neeraj Chopra at the Silesia Diamond League, marking their first meeting since the unforgettable showdown at the Paris Olympics.
The meeting in Poland promises not just a battle between Olympic medallists but between two athletes who have consistently redefined javelin standards on the global stage.
The 27-year-old Chopra has been active since the Paris Games, appearing in four Diamond League meets, as well as prestigious competitions in Chorzow and Ostrava. Notably, he broke the much-anticipated 90m barrier earlier this season with a sensational throw in Doha on May 16 — his first DL outing of the year. He also claimed gold at the inaugural NC Classic in Bengaluru on July 5, a competition he hosted.
Meanwhile, Nadeem, 28, chose a different path. After clinching Olympic gold, he opted for a limited season, citing the need to focus on key competitions. He appeared just once in 2024 before Paris, winning gold at the Asian Championships in Gumi, South Korea, with a throw of 86.40m. He had been invited by Chopra to participate in the NC Classic originally scheduled for May 24, but he declined due to a scheduling clash with the Asian Championships. The event was eventually postponed due to rising tensions following the Pahalgam terror attack and rescheduled for July.