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The Neeraj Chopra Classic 2025, which was set to be held on May 24 at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru, has been postponed until further notice in the wake of the escalating cross-border tensions between India and Pakistan.
"In light of the current situation, the inaugural edition of the NC Classic stands postponed until further notice. This decision has been made after careful thought and consultation, with the well-being of athletes, stakeholders, and the broader community as the top priority," a statement from NC Classic on social media. In a direct response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, where 26 tourists were gunned down, the Indian Armed Forces on Wednesday launched 'Operation Sindoor', carrying out precision strikes on nine terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK). Pakistan retaliated, but the Indian Army during the intervening night of May 8 and May 9 successfully repelled and responded to multiple drone attacks by Pakistan along the western border and the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir. Neeraj said standing "firm" with India in the "critical moment" matters most while sending his thoughts to the nation's Armed Forces. He confirmed that a revised schedule will be released later. "We believe in the unifying power of sport. But, in this critical moment, standing firm with the nation matters most. All our gratitude and thoughts at this point are only with our Armed Forces, who are at the forefront for our nation. A revised schedule for the NC Classic will be provided in due course. Jai Hind," the statement concluded. NC Classic isn't the only event postponed due to the current situation between India and Pakistan. On Friday afternoon, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced that the 18th edition of the Indian Premier League had been suspended for a week due to rising tensions between the neighbouring nations. Recently, Neeraj faced backlash for inviting the Pakistani javelin spearhead Arshad Nadeem to India for the event, after the terror attack in Pahalgam. Neeraj silenced his critics and said that the invitation he sent to Nadeem was from "one athlete to another" and there was "nothing more" to it. (ANI)
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