Olympic champion Chopra out of Commonwealth Games

India’s Olympic javelin champion Neeraj Chopra was ruled out of the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham with injury on Tuesday, two days ahead of the opening ceremony.

Chopra, 24, picked up the injury during the World Athletics Championships in Oregon, where he won silver at the weekend.

The Indian Olympic Association did not say what the injury was but after coming second behind Grenada’s Anderson Peters he complained about “discomfort” in his thigh. 

Chopra was the reigning champion at the Commonwealth Games, which start on Thursday. 

“Chopra had called me earlier today from the US to convey his inability to take part in the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games owing to fitness concerns,” Indian Olympic Association secretary general Rajeev Mehta said in a statement.

“(He) had an MRI scan done on Monday and, based on it, he has been advised a month’s rest by his medical team.”

Chopra made history when he won the javelin at the Tokyo Olympics, becoming India’s first athletics gold medallist. 

Speaking after the World Championships in Oregon, Chopra said, “After the fourth throw I did feel a bit of discomfort in my thigh, I wasn’t able to put in that much effort.”