Neeraj Chopra's Presence In Domestic Events To Remain Limited in Future: AFI Chief Adille Sumariwalla

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Neeraj Chopra has left an indelible mark on Indian athletics, captivating fans nationwide with his stellar performances. However, despite his immense popularity and the fervent desire of Indian crowds to witness him compete on home soil, the reigning Olympic Champion is set to largely skip the domestic season in the future.

The decision, by the Athletics Federation of India (AFI), stems from a strategic imperative to prioritise performance over public appearances, especially with the Paris Olympics 2024 months away.

Adille Sumariwalla, President of the Athletics Federation of India (AFI), emphasised this balance, asserting that while the Indian crowd undoubtedly yearns for Chopra's presence, his commitment to competitive excellence necessitates a focus on vital tournaments such as the Diamond Leagues.

"The Indian crowd surely wants Neeraj but there is something called performance. We have to balance between the two," Adille Sumariwalla told MyKhel. "We will have to keep him abroad as he has to compete in important tournaments like the Diamond Leagues.

"He was supposed to compete in the Inter-States in Panchkula but the Paris Diamond League was soon after so we asked him to come for the Federation Cup instead and give him an exemption from the Diamond League because nobody else is participating in Diamond Leagues."

Neeraj Chopra's recent appearance at the Federation Cup 2024 in Bhubaneswar shows his magnetic appeal, drawing a substantial crowd of nearly 2000 spectators to the stadium while the rest of the three days of the tournament couldn't even bring 100 fans to the Kalinga Stadium.

Reflecting on Chopra's impact, an official from Odisha Sports remarked on the substantial fan response, noting that the announcement of his participation came relatively late.

"We got to know about Neeraj Chopra to compete here like everyone else did. 6-7 days before the competition when he posted a tweet that he would be coming here. Had we known earlier or had enough time for a build-up, we would have seen a much bigger crowd like how we full house during the Asian Athletics Championships in 2017," said an Odisha Sports official.

Chopra's meteoric rise began well before his Olympic triumph, with his historic victory at the World U-20 Championships in 2016 -- followed by Asian Games and Commonwealth Games triumph in 2018 -- catapulting him into the spotlight.

That's why following a critical elbow surgery in 2019, the AFI made a pivotal decision to facilitate Chopra's training abroad, under his current German coach Bartonietz Klaus in Potchefstroom, South Africa. This strategic move was aimed at shielding Chopra from distractions and optimise his preparation for elite-level competition.

Following his resounding success at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, Chopra's stature as an icon of Indian athletics soared, accompanied by a surge in commercial opportunities and sponsorship demands. In response, Chopra's training regimen has predominantly kept him abroad, with Europe emerging as a preferred destination.

Turkey and Switzerland, in particular, have served as training hubs in recent years owing to their proximity to key athletics events, notably the Diamond Leagues, which frequently unfold across the continent.