New Delhi, April 25 -- Olympic medalist Neeraj Chopra issued a clarification on Friday over the controversy that erupted over his invitation to Pakistan's Olympic champion Arshad Nadeem. Chopra said, "There has been so much talk about my decision to invite Arshad Nadeem to compete in the Neeraj Chopra Classic, and most of it has been hate and abuse."

He informed that the invites were sent to all athletes on Monday, two days before the terrorist attacks at Pahalgam. Chopra said the invitation he 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," Neeraj Chopra said.

The mai...