Neeraj blasts Indian media over twisting his comments about Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem

• Do not use my comments for your propaganda, Neeraj Chopra tells Indian media.
• "Arshad was just practising for his throw, and nothing else,” he says. 
• Indian media misinterpreted his discussion with Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem, says India's gold medalist.       

ISLAMABAD: India’s Olympic gold medalist Neeraj Chopra Thursday lashed out at the local media over misinterpreting his discussion with Pakistan’s javelin thrower Arshad Nadeem to fuel hatred.

Taking to Twitter, Neeraj Chopra asked the Indian media not to use his comments for their propaganda. He said: “Arshad Nadeem was not tampering with my javelin. He was just practising for his throw, and nothing else.”

Neeraj Chopra said that he was "very disappointed with the false propaganda". During the competition, the players hand over their personal javelins to the organisers, he added.

The Indian gold medalist said that the javelins are kept together and the players can use anyone’s javelin, adding that there is no specific rule about it.

Indian media misinterpreted his discussion with Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem, he added.

What did India's Neeraj Chopra say to Arshad Nadeem about his national dress?

Earlier, the Indian athlete — who won the gold medal in the javelin throw competition at the Tokyo Olympics — told Arshad Nadeem he looked tagra (strong, fit) in his national dress.

“He congratulated me with a big smile," Neeraj told CNN-News18 when asked about what he and Arshad spoke about as they met at the dining hall before the closing ceremony — a day after the Indian athlete had won his gold medal.

"They shook hands and showed us why the spirit of sportsmanship is sometimes more important than the sport itself," the publication said about the meeting.