New Delhi: Two-time Olympic medallist Neeraj Chopra has expressed his anguish after being questioned about his patriotism for inviting Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem to the Neeraj Chopra Classic, following the recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, that claimed 26 lives.

Neeraj, in a statement on social media, revealed that he and his family have faced significant backlash after extending the invitation to Arshad for the event scheduled at the Sri Kanteerva Stadium in Bengaluru on May 24.

However, Neeraj clarified that the invitation was sent prior to the attack and was solely based on Arshad’s status as the reigning Olympic gold medallist, as he wanted to bring world-class talent to India. He added that, in light of the tragic incident, Arshad’s participation in the event was "completely out of the question."

"I usually am a man of few words, but that doesn't mean I will not speak up against what I think is wrong. More so when it comes to questioning my love for our country, and the respect and honour of my family. There has been so much talk about my decision to invite Arshad Nadeem to compete in the Neeraj Chopra Classic, and most of it has been hate and abuse. They haven’t even left my family out of it. The invitation I extended to Arshad was from one athlete to another - nothing more, nothing less. The aim of the NC Classic was to bring the best athletes to India and for our country to be the home of world-class sporting events. Invites had gone out to all athletes on Monday, two days before the terrorist attacks at Pahalgam," Neeraj stated.

Neeraj, the silver medallist at the Paris Olympics, also offered his condolences to the families affected by the attack, expressing his grief and anger over the incident. He reaffirmed his commitment to his country, stating, "My country and its interests will always come first. To those that are going through the loss of their loved ones, my thoughts and prayers are with you. Along with the entire nation, I am both hurt and angry at what has taken place. I am confident that our country’s response will show our strength as a nation and justice will be served."

The 27-year-old athlete made a clear statement in response to those questioning his loyalty, saying it hurt him to have his patriotism questioned after carrying the Indian flag with pride over the years. He also spoke out against the "false narratives" being spread about him, particularly by sections of the media.

"It pains me that I have to explain myself to people who are targeting me and my family, with no good reason. We are simple people, please don’t make us out to be anything else. There are so many false narratives that certain sections of the media have created around me, but just because I do not speak up, it doesn’t make it true," Neeraj added.

The athlete also recalled an earlier incident where his mother had praised Arshad for winning the gold medal at the Paris Olympics, calling him "her son" as well, which had earned widespread praise at the time. However, Neeraj noted the shift in opinion, with the same people now criticising his mother for that statement.

"I also find it difficult to understand how people switch opinions. When my mother - in her simplicity - had made an innocent comment a year ago, there was an outpouring of praise for her views. Today, the same people haven’t held back from targeting her for that very same statement. I, meanwhile, will work even harder to ensure that the world remembers India and looks at it with envy and respect for all the right reasons," Neeraj concluded.