New Delhi: The inaugural edition of Neeraj Chopra Classic, scheduled to be held in Bengaluru on May 24, has been postponed until further notice due to the prevailing situation between India and Pakistan, the organisers said.
“In light of the current situation, the inaugural edition of the NC Classic stands postponed until further notice. The decision has been made after careful thought and consultation, with the well-being of athletes, stakeholders, and the broader community as the top priority,” a statement issued by Team NC Classic said.
“We believe in the unifying power of sport. But, in this critical moment, standing firm with the national matters most. All our gratitude and thoughts at this point are only with our Armed Forces, who are at the forefront of our nation,” the statement added.
The organisers said a revised schedule of the NC Classic will be provided in due course.
The inaugural edition of the Neeraj Chopra Classic, scheduled to take place at Sri Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru on May 24, had attracted some of the world’s best javelin throwers.
The World Athletics event was headlined by India’s two-time Olympic medallist and reigning world champion, Chopra, who has been closely associated with the organising of the event along with JSW Sports and AFI.
Two-time world champion Anderson Peters, American Curtis Thompson, the season leader (87.76m), 2016 Olympic champion Thomas Rohler of Germany, Rio Olympic silver medallist and 2015 world champion Julius Yego of Kenya, Japanese Genki Dean, Brazilian Luiz Mauricio da Silva, and Sri Lankan Rumesh Pathirage had confirmed participation. Top Indian throwers Sachin Yadav, Rohit Yadav, Sahil Silwal, and Kishore Jena were also in the mix.
The event was also a qualification competition for the World Championships.
Earlier on Friday, the Indian Premier League was also suspended as tension between India and Pakistan has intensified in the last couple of days.
