Neeraj Chopra Out Of Asian Games After Ligament Injury: ‘I Will Sit Out The Rest Of This Season’

Last Updated:August 29, 2026, 2:47 PM IST

Neeraj Chopra sustained an ankle ligament tear during training which has ended his season.

Neeraj Chopra (Reuters Photo)

In a latest injury setback, star javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra has suffered a ligament tear which has ended his ongoing season, meaning he won’t take part in the Asian Games scheduled to be held in Japan next month. Besides, he will also miss the Diamond League final and the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championships in Budapest for which he looked on course for qualifying.

Chopra headlined India’s 492-member strong contingent for the Asian Games announced by the Sports Ministry earlier this month.

“After a period of hard work, I finally felt I was gaining the momentum I had been looking for with a Season’s Best throw in Lausanne,” Chopra said in a statement on Instagram.

“Unfortunately, shortly after, I sustained a ligament tear in my ankle during training. After discussions with my doctor and team, we’ve decided that I will sit out the rest of this season,” he added.

Chopra, who won silver at the recent Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, had returned to action at the Doha Diamond League after spending months recovering from a lower-back injury that had kept him out since September 2025.

“It’s disappointing, especially because I felt close to finding my rhythm. But as they say, setbacks are a part of the journey. My focus now is on recovering well and coming back even stronger. Thank you all for the love and support,” he concluded.

Chopra, a two-time Olympic medallist, skipped three of the five Diamond League meets in the calendar year, including the latest in Zurich.

Despite that, the 28-year-old finished sixth in the Diamond League javelin throw standings with 12 points – enough to earn a place in the six-man final despite competing in only two meetings this season.

He had produced his season-best throw of 88.05m at the Lausanne Diamond League which saw him finish second behind Sri Lankan Rumesh Pathirage in a star-studded field.,

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When is Neeraj Chopra expected to return to javelin throw competitions?

Neeraj Chopra will sit out the rest of the current season due to a ligament tear in his ankle. He sustained the injury during training shortly after achieving a season-best throw in Lausanne. His focus is now on recovery to return stronger.

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Feroz Khan

Feroz Khan has been covering sports for over 12 years now and is currently working with Network18 as Principal Correspondent. He embarked on his journey in 2011 and has since acquired vast experience …Read More

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