Doha Diamond League 2025: Why will there be no Neeraj vs Arshad today?

Ahead of the Diamond League, Neeraj Chopra clarified that he and Pakistan's Arshad Nadeem were never close friends despite sharing mutual respect as competitors

India’s star athlete Neeraj Chopra is all set to start his 2025 season with the Doha leg of the Diamond League today. He will face a challenge from 10 other javelin throwers, including one of his key rivals, Grenada’s Anderson Peters, and his compatriot Kishore Jena.

 

However, the one name fans have been most eager to see clash with Neeraj — Pakistan’s 2024 Paris Olympics gold medallist Arshad Nadeem — will not feature in the event. Since his historic win in Paris, Nadeem has not participated in any major event and will continue this trend in Doha. 

 

 

While the Neeraj vs Nadeem face-off has been a major talking point since Neeraj lost his Olympic title to Nadeem, the rivalry has taken a new dimension amid recent geopolitical tensions between India and Pakistan — heightening the stakes for any future encounters between the two.

 

Why is Arshad Nadeem not part of the Doha Diamond League lineup?

 

Arshad Nadeem, Pakistan’s Olympic javelin champion, has opted out of the Doha Diamond League to focus on the upcoming Asian Athletics Championships in Gumi, South Korea, scheduled from 27 to 31 May. He is expected to depart for South Korea on 22 May to continue preparations for the continental event.

 

Earlier, Nadeem had also declined an invitation to the Neeraj Chopra Classic in Bengaluru, citing his training commitments for the Asian Championships.

 

Neeraj Chopra clears the air on his relationship with Arshad Nadeem

 

Ahead of the Diamond League, Neeraj Chopra clarified that he and Arshad Nadeem were never close friends, though they have always shared mutual respect as athletes. Chopra added that, due to the ongoing political climate between India and Pakistan, things are unlikely to remain the same, but he will continue to reciprocate respectful behaviour.

 

What was the controversy regarding Neeraj Chopra and Arshad Nadeem? 

 

Neeraj and his family faced severe backlash on social media after an invitation was extended to Arshad Nadeem for the NC Classic in Bengaluru. The criticism intensified following the Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed 26 lives, with some questioning Chopra’s loyalty.

 

Neeraj clarified that the invitations were sent before the attack took place and urged fans not to politicise gestures of sporting camaraderie.