No sport whatsoever with Pakistan, against the backdrop of what transpired in Pahalgam, is now a given. And by no sport, we mean no sport whatsoever. No table tennis, no football, no cricket. India should, in fact, communicate to the ICC that it does not want to be in the same group as Pakistan in ICC competitions. Not when the backdrop is that of terror. And that’s where Neeraj Chopra and his statement becomes relevant.
We at RevSportz strongly condemn any attack or abuse directed at Neeraj’s family. As he has already clarified, his invite to Arshad Nadeem was sent two days before the Pahalgam attack. At that time, India was playing sport with Pakistan – be it cricket, table tennis, hockey or anything else. We recently played Pakistan in cricket’s Champions Trophy, and across various Asian-level competitions for Olympic sport. It was all acceptable till what happened two days ago.
Like Neeraj said, after what has transpired, Arshad’s presence was never even on the horizon. To target Neeraj’s mother for what she said about Arshad a year ago is plain nonsense. Indian cricketers went to Pakistan to do commentary stints during the Champions Trophy, Rajiv Shukla travelled to Pakistan, and some Indian journalists like Vikrant Gupta visited Pakistan during the competition. At the time, it was doable. No more. To look back and castigate these people is totally out of line.
Also Read: Neeraj Chopra Speaks Out Against Social Media Trolls for Inviting Arshad Nadeem to NC Classic 2025
India played Pakistan in hockey last year. We played Pakistan in football a year before that. Now, none of this should even be contemplated. Yes, I understand it might be tricky during an Olympic Games or a Cricket World Cup, but even there, India should make it clear to international bodies that it refuses to be drawn in the same group as Pakistan. When it is a war against terror, nothing else should matter.
Coming back to Neeraj, he has spoken out and clarified everything. He has always stood for national pride, and been the lone ranger for India in many ways. To see him and his family targeted is shameful and unpardonable. Let’s not lose our sanity when angry. Let’s not abuse our own and lose track. Let’s be clear on what the nation needs to do to heal. Multiple Indian commentators worked with their Pakistani counterparts in Dubai during the Champions Trophy. Do you turn back the clock and start abusing them? We at RevSportz did two interviews with former Pakistan cricketers, Ramiz Raja and Shoaib Malik. Now, no more.
We need to stand up for Neeraj and make sure that he isn’t the target of abuse. Someone who has given us unrivalled joy and pride is a national treasure. No more, and no less. First, the invite, as Neeraj says, was from one athlete to another. But that too stands withdrawn in the context of what happened. We need to understand the chronology of events and act accordingly. Not just randomly make statements and provoke outrage.
These are sensitive times when the nation needs to stay together and strong. Not create issues with our own and target them. Neeraj is one of the greatest Indians ever. Perhaps our greatest sportsperson ever. It is essential we respect that and stand by him. More so when he has done nothing that was out of line.
Neeraj Chopra receiving hate for inviting Arshad Nadeem to NC Classic tournament | Is it fair? https://t.co/DmgcIXCrXa
— RevSportz Global (@RevSportzGlobal) April 25, 2025