Arshad Nadeem Says Promised Plot for Olympic Gold Was Never Delivered, Eyes Showdown with Neeraj Chopra at Silesia Diamond League

Olympic champion Arshad Nadeem has revealed that he never received a plot of land that was promised to him after his historic gold medal win at the Paris Olympics last year. Nadeem stunned the world by defeating reigning Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra with a record-breaking throw of 92.97 meters, securing Pakistan’s first-ever Olympic gold in athletics.

The victory not only made headlines across the globe but also led to a wave of public praise and announcements of rewards from various government bodies and public figures in Pakistan. However, a year on, Nadeem says many of those promises — particularly the ones involving land — were never fulfilled.

“Out of all the prize announcements made to me, all the plot announcements were fake. I did not receive any of them. I have, however, received all the cash prizes that were promised,” Nadeem told Geo TV before departing for the UK to undergo surgery for a hamstring injury.

Despite the lack of institutional support before the Olympics and the broken promises afterward, Nadeem remains focused on training. “My entire focus is on myself,” he said. “At the same time, we also train any young athletes who come to us. My coach Salman Butt leads those training sessions.”

### A Potential Rematch in Poland

After recovering from surgery, Nadeem could make a high-profile return to competition at the **Silesia Diamond League** on August 16, where he may once again go head-to-head with Indian superstar Neeraj Chopra. It would be the first meeting between the two since their epic clash in Paris, and expectations are already building.

The matchup is more than just a rematch — it’s a showdown between two athletes who are redefining javelin throwing on the global stage.

Chopra, 27, has been active on the circuit since the Paris Games. He’s competed in four Diamond League meets and other elite events in Chorzow and Ostrava. Most notably, he crossed the long-awaited 90-meter mark for the first time in his career with a sensational throw in Doha on May 16. He also won gold at the inaugural NC Classic in Bengaluru on July 5, a meet he personally hosted.

Nadeem, 28, took a more conservative approach post-Olympics, competing just once in 2024 before his injury — winning gold at the Asian Championships in Gumi, South Korea, with an 86.40m throw. He was invited to Chopra’s NC Classic, initially scheduled for May 24, but declined due to a scheduling conflict with the Asian Championships. The event was later rescheduled to July following the Pahalgam terror attack and rising regional tensions.

With both athletes now back in the spotlight, fans are eagerly awaiting another memorable face-off — one that promises not just rivalry, but another potential rewriting of the javelin record books.