Neeraj Chopra competing 'at his own risk' in National Open Athletics Championships

Neeraj Chopra will be returning to competition at National Open after a year, following his elbow surgery. However, national coaches think it will be risky.

File Photo: Neeraj Chopra will be returning to competition at National Open after almost a year. Chopra, who had surgery for an elbow injury, had missed this April's Asian Championships and the Worlds too.

Four months after his elbow surgery, Asian and Commonwealth Games champion javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra appears keen to get back to competition. But national coaches and federation officials do not want him to rush back to competitive action so early.

“I'm not yet sure about Neeraj competing in Ranchi. If you ask me my opinion, I would say he should not be participating. If he is coming to Ranchi, it is his own decision,” said Radhakrishnan Nair, the Deputy Chief National Coach, told Sportstar on Wednesday.

“I spoke to him this morning, the federation has spoken to him. This is a season-ending competition, I don't know why he is so adamant in competing. He has had just six or seven sessions of throwing. We are not confident, his coach is not confident.

“He should not participate and it's not just my opinion, it's the opinion of the (AFI) president, the planning committee chairman, the high performance director and also the chief coach...everyone. He says he is alright but if he is competing, it is at his own risk.”