India-Pakistan javelin duel cancelled: Neeraj Chopra pulls out of Poland meet

SILESIA: Indian javelin star Neeraj Chopra and Pakistan’s Olympic champion Arshad Nadeem will not compete at the upcoming Silesia Diamond League event in Poland on August 16.

Their absence ends hopes of a long-awaited rematch between the two athletes, who last faced off in the final at the Paris 2024 Olympics.

Read more: Arshad Nadeem declared unfit for Diamond League

Nether Chojra nor Nadeem appeared on the official entry list published ahead of the competition, confirming their withdrawal from the event.

Neeraj Chopra absence raises questions

The reason behind Neeraj Chopra’s decision to skip the Silesia meet has not been disclosed by the athlete or his team. This came as a surprise given Chopra’s strong showing so far in the 2025 season.

Chopra started the year with a win at the Potch Invitational in South Africa. He then became the first Indian to throw beyond the 90 meters with a mark of 90.23 meter at the Doha Diamond League.

He has also won meets in Paris, Ostrava, and recently at the NC Classic in Bengaluru.

Arshad Nadeem’s withdrawal follows injury

Arshad Nadeem’s pullout was widely expected due to a calf muscle injury that required surgery in London last month. His coaching staff confirmed that he is focusing on recovery to prepare for the Word Athletics Championships in Tokyo, scheduled for next month.

The Silesia meeting had been promoted as the stage for a high-profile rematch between Arshad Nadeem and Neeraj Chopra. Their last encounter at the Paris Games saw the Pakistani win gold with an Olympic record throw, while Chopra took silver.

Focus shifts to Lausanne and World Championships

With both leading athletes absent from Silesia, attention now turns to the Lausanne Diamond League on August 20. The competition  is expected to be the last major event before the World Championships in Tokyo.

There, Neeraj Chopra and Arshad Nadeem are widely expected to compete against each other once more, renewing one of sport’s budding rivalries.

Read more: Arshad Nadeem begins javelin training in England

Nadeem once compared their rivalry to watching a cricket match between India and Pakistan. “The rivalry is there when it comes to cricket matches and other sports, definitely.” He viewed it favourably, as it helped “youngsters in both countries […] follow their sports icons and bring laurels o their countries”.

At the picking Tokyo event, Chopra will defend his world title from Budapest 2023, where he finished ahead of Nadeem.