Neeraj Chopra had to publicly clarify on Thursday about his relationship with Pakistan's Arshad Nadeem and put it on record that the two were never really close friends, and things have changed in light of the tragic Pahalgam terror attack.

The revelation comes on the backdrop of Chopra and his family being bombarded and criticised with a barrage of messages online for inviting Nadeem to the now-postponed NC Classic event in Bengaluru.

"First, I would like to clarify that I don't have a very strong relationship (with Nadeem); we were never really close friends. But, because of this (tensions on the Indo-Pak border), it will not be like before. But if someone talks to me respectfully, I reciprocate the respect," Chopra told reporters during a presser.

But this statement has marked a significant shift in public perception surrounding the Neeraj Chopra–Arshad Nadeem rivalry. After all, the tales of the duo's friendship and bonding were previously celebrated as a rare and heartwarming example of sportsmanship between athletes from two historically hostile nations.

Neeraj and Nadeem have had a storied rivalry in men's javelin throw for the past few years. Their battles on the field have become one of the most anticipated match-ups in world athletics. The subplot of India vs. Pakistan adds even higher stakes.

Their sporting rivalry began at the 2016 South Asian Games in Guwahati, and since then, the duo has faced each other in 10 international competitions. Each time they came up against each other, fans would regale themselves with epic tales. In the world of athletics, such a rivalry, including athletes of India and Pakistan, is a rare case. The only one that comes to mind is between the legendary Indian star Milkha Singh and Pakistan's Abdul Khaliq from the 1960s.

Despite Neeraj and Nadeem representing archrivals, so far, they have managed to share a great bond, and their mothers have also spoken at length about it. Following Nadeem's historic gold medal and Chopra's second-place finish at the Paris 2024 Olympics, Neeraj's mother, Saroja Devi, famously said: "We are very happy. For us, silver is also equal to gold. The one who got the gold is also like our son," Devi famously said.

Arsahd 's mom, Raziah Parveen, reciprocated the feelings by congratulating Neeraj and saying, "Woh bhi mere bete jaisa hai. Woh Nadeem ka dost bhi, hai bhai bhi hai (He is like a son to me. He is Nadeem's friend, and also like a brother)," she told Pakistani media.

Despite being fierce competitors, Neeraj and Nadeem have often displayed camaraderie off the field, exemplifying the true Olympic sporting spirit.

After the Tokyo Olympics, when Nadeem was controversially accused of tampering with Chopra's javelin, the Indian champion stepped forward to defend his rival, saying: "There was nothing wrong with Arshad Nadeem using my javelin to prepare. It is within the rules, and please do not use my name to push a dirty agenda."

Another such episode occurred after Chopra's gold medal win at the Budapest World Championships. The Indian, after winning the gold, invited Nadeem for a photo despite the Pakistani athlete searching for his national flag. The gesture quickly went viral and was hailed as a symbol of unity.

But the dynamics have all changed completely. "Yes, as athletes, we have to talk. I have some good friends from the athlete community from all over the world, not only in javelin throw but also in other events. If somebody talks to me respectfully, I will also talk to him with full respect," Chopra stated without mincing any words.

Thus, the message is clear — respect remains, but closeness may be impossible.