Chopra competed at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo in September 2025, where he finished an uncharacteristic eighth with a best throw of 84.03m.
: India's Javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra poses for a photo with the National flag after clinching a silver medal in the Men's Javelin Throw Final at the Paris Olympics 2024. (ANI Photo/Sukumaran)
India’s Olympic and world champion Neeraj Chopra is currently on a break as he recovers from a back injury sustained in September last year. The injury occurred just ahead of the World Athletics Championships, and there is no confirmed timeline for his return to competitive action.
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On Saturday, January 3, Athletics Federation of India (AFI) spokesperson Adille Sumariwalla confirmed that Chopra’s priority will be rehabilitation rather than early-season competitions.
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“He (Chopra) is taking a break. He is recovering from his injuries. He had two injuries. The focus is on rehabilitation, that is the most important thing, not the season opener,” Sumariwalla said while announcing the qualification standards for the Asian Games.
Sumariwalla also praised Chopra’s determination to compete at the World Championships despite being injured.
“Hats off to him that he took part in the World Championships. I have seen his injury, the swelling, and he still competed. We told him not to do it. He said, ‘No sir, I will try.’ He never once said that he couldn’t throw because of his injury,” he added.
Chopra competed at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo in September 2025, where he finished an uncharacteristic eighth with a best throw of 84.03m. The result brought an end to his remarkable streak of top-two finishes across 26 consecutive competitions since 2021. The subdued performance was largely attributed to the severe back injury he had sustained nearly two weeks earlier.
Despite the setback, Chopra enjoyed an outstanding season overall, registering a season-best throw of 90.23m at the Doha Diamond League in May 2025.
At present, there is no fixed timeline for Chopra’s return. The focus remains on full recovery and regaining fitness ahead of the Asian Games, scheduled to be held in Japan from September 19 to October 4 later this year.
The AFI has also announced the qualification criteria for the Asian Games. As per the guidelines, athletes must compete in a minimum of three tournaments, one state-level meet and two national-level competitions organised by the AFI, to be considered for selection, unless exempted.
Notably, Neeraj Chopra has been granted a special exemption from domestic competitions to allow him sufficient time to recover ahead of the Asian Games.
“People qualify in January and then do nothing before the Asian Games, and when they go there, they don’t perform. We want to see whether an athlete is improving or declining. One good day is not enough at this level,” Sumariwalla stated.
He further clarified that the rules apply uniformly to all athletes, barring exceptional cases.
“We are not foolish enough to restrict our athletes. Neeraj Chopra is only one Neeraj. But for everyone else, the same rules apply,” he added.
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