NEW DELHI: Indian javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra has issued an explanation for the cyber attacks against him and his family for inviting Pakistani player Arshad Nadeem to India. Neeraj clarified in the note that he had invited Nadeem before the Pahalgam attack and that it hurts him to have to explain to people who were targeting him and his family for no reason.

"The invitation I extended to Arshad was from one athlete to another nothing more, nothing less. The aim of the NC Classic was to bring the best athletes to India and for our country to be the home of world-class sporting events. Invites had gone out to all athletes on Monday, two days before the terrorist attacks at Pahalgam," Neeraj said in the note.

"After all that has taken place over the last 48 hours, Arshad's presence at the NC Classic was completely out of the question. My country and its interests will always come first. I have carried my country with pride for so many years now, and so it hurts to see my integrity being questioned. It pains me that I have to explain myself to people who are targeting me and my family, with no good reason," Neeraj said.