Neeraj Chopra breaks silence on Paris Diamond League absence ahead of Paris 2024 Olympics | Paris 2024 Olympics News

NEW DELHI: Neeraj Chopra has responded to speculations surrounding his participation in the Paris Diamond League. In a statement on social media platform ‘X’, the Olympic and world javelin champion clarified that the Paris Diamond League is not included in his competition schedule for the current season.

“Hello everyone. Just to clarify: #ParisDL was not part of my competition schedule this season, so I have not “opted out.” I am focused on preparing for the Olympics. Thank you for your understanding and support, and I wish all the athletes competing the best! #RoadToOlympics,” Chopra wrote on her handle “X.”


Chopra, 26, has been struggling with an adductor problem for several months, which has impacted his competitive schedule. Despite these difficulties, he continues to prioritize his health and performance, with a view to achieving optimal conditions for the Olympic Games.

The Athletics Federation of India (AFI) had earlier granted Chopra an exemption to compete in the National Inter-State Championships, a mandatory event for Indian athletes. The decision was taken to accommodate Chopra’s preparation schedule, given the proximity of the national event to the Diamond League scheduled for July 7.

AFI President Adille Sumariwalla highlighted the importance of the Paris Diamond League as a preparatory event for the Olympics, which led to the special permission granted exclusively to Chopra.

“We have made it clear that all athletes will participate in the Inter-State Championships in India. But the Paris Diamond League is being held along with the Inter-State Championships and we feel the Paris Diamond League will be very important for him (Neeraj) before the Olympics, that’s why he is the only one who has been given special permission to participate in the Federation Cup,” Sumariwalla said.

He had originally planned to compete at the Inter-State National Championships in Panchkula, Haryana, but opted for the Federation Cup instead, due to its scheduling before the Paris Diamond League and closer to the Olympics. Chopra’s participation in future events will continue to be determined by his health and the strategic importance of each competition in his preparation for the Olympics.

Recently, Chopra achieved a milestone by winning gold at the Paavo Nurmi Games, marking a historic feat as the first Indian to win an athletics medal at the Tokyo Olympics.