Neeraj Chopra is human, we should celebrate his silver medals too: Ex-AFI chief

Athletics Federation of India (AFI) selection committee chairman Adille Sumariwalla has strongly defended Neeraj Chopra following criticism over his silver-medal finish at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, reminding fans and critics that the superstar thrower remains India’s greatest-ever track and field athlete.

Neeraj Chopra, who missed the gold to Sri Lanka’s emerging star Rumesh Pathirage, faced an uncommon wave of skepticism leading into and following the event. Doubts had begun to surface late last year after a gruelling back injury caused Chopra to place eighth at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.

Determined to reset, the two-time Olympic medallist took extended time off to recover, parted ways with his former coach, and joined forces with Jai Chaudhary. After delaying the start of his 2026 competitive season, Chopra made his return at the Doha Diamond League, finishing fourth, before throwing a season-best effort to claim silver at the Commonwealth Games.

Addressing the criticism surrounding Chopra’s performance, Sumariwalla emphasised the magnitude of the javelin star’s comeback following months of physical rehab.

“After the injury, for him to come back to this stage and win a silver medal, it’s simply fantastic for Indian athletics. We are confident that he will keep on improving in the coming days,” Sumariwalla, a former AFI president, told PTI.

‘HE IS ALSO HUMAN’

Reiterating that no athlete can remain invincible forever, Sumariwalla cautioned against unrealistic expectations placed on the country’s top sporting icons.

“It is not that he would win gold all the time, it doesn’t happen like that. Silver medals also happen. He is also a human being, and we should leave it at that. We should celebrate his silver medals also,” he stated.

Sumariwalla went on to highlight Chopra’s legendary track record, which includes an Olympic gold and silver, a World Championship gold, a World Junior Record, as well as gold medals across the Asian Games, Commonwealth Games, and Asian Championships.

“Who has given you two Olympic medals, a gold and a silver? Who has given you world championships gold, junior world record and a gold medal? Who has given you Asian Games gold and Commonwealth Games gold and silver, and Asian Championships gold? Whatever medal he has won, we should take it as a bonus,” Sumariwalla remarked.

“So, when he wins a silver medal also, we must leave it at that. We must not write him off. Whatever he has to do, he will do it and he knows it. He is after all the greatest athlete India has produced,” added the former sprinter, who headed the federation during Chopra’s historic Tokyo Olympics victory.

With his Commonwealth Games campaign concluded, Neeraj Chopra will focus on fine-tuning his rhythm and physical condition under Chaudhary’s guidance as he prepares for his next major test at the upcoming Asian Games.

– Ends