ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Olympic champion Arshad Nadeem has been officially ruled out of the Diamond League 2025 because of fitness concerns. The news comes as a major setback just months after his historic gold medal at the Paris Olympics 2024.
Nadeem, who won Pakistan its first individual Olympic gold in 92 years with a 92.97-meter javelin throw, is currently in rehabilitation in England. He underwent calf muscle surgery in Cambridge and is now focusing on a full recovery.
According to Dr. Ali Sher Bajwa, the Arshad Nadeem injury is recent and quite severe. Medical experts have advised him against participating in upcoming international competitions until he regains full fitness.
The much-anticipated face-off between India’s Neeraj Chopra and Arshad Nadeem at the Silesia Diamond League 2025 is now uncertain. Nadeem is prioritizing recovery and preparation for the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo this September.
“He is more focused on preparing for the World Championships,” said a team official.
“The calf issue had been bothering him for some time, so surgery was necessary.”
Doctors have confirmed that Nadeem has started putting weight on his injured leg, a sign of progress. However, a final decision regarding his return to competitive action will be made only after a full assessment of his rehabilitation.
Earlier, Pakistan’s Olympic hopes rested largely on Nadeem after six of the country’s seven athletes were disqualified from their events in Paris. His gold medal brought an end to the nation’s 32-year Olympic medal drought, last achieved in 1992 by the national hockey team.
As the only individual Olympic gold medalist in Pakistan’s history, Arshad Nadeem remains a beacon of hope. His absence from the Diamond League will be felt, but fans continue to support his recovery journey.
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