India’s double Olympic medallist Neeraj Chopra has postponed his homecoming as he heads to Germany for medical consultation regarding his persistent groin injury. The Paris Olympics silver medallist plans to stay in Germany for nearly a month, where he will assess his readiness for upcoming major tournaments, including the Diamond Leagues.
Neeraj’s uncle, Bhim Chopra, informed India Today that Neeraj will consult with doctors in Germany to determine whether he needs surgery, a decision he’s been putting off for the past year. Neeraj has been dealing with a hernia, which has caused groin pain and impacted his performance in Paris.
When Is Neeraj Chopra Coming Back To India?
In the men’s javelin final at the Paris Olympics, Neeraj secured a silver medal with a throw of 89.45m, his second-best career effort, but could not defend his gold medal title. Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem won the gold with a new Olympic record of 92.97m. Neeraj managed only one valid attempt out of six, fouling the rest due to pressure.
Neeraj confirmed after the Olympics that he had delayed surgery to compete. He had previously trained in Germany for a short period before the Games.
A family source told a leading news agency that Neeraj has left for Germany and is not expected to return to India for at least a month. The Indian Olympic Association also confirmed his departure. Neeraj had mentioned after his win at the Paavo Nurmi Games in Finland in June that he would seek medical advice post-Olympics to address his injury.
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Is It A Minor Surgery?
Neeraj Chopra first disclosed his groin injury during the 2022 World Championships, and it has continued to trouble him since. In preparation for the Paris Olympics, Neeraj carefully selected his events to manage the injury.
Manisha Malhotra, head of sports excellence and scouting at JSW Sports, shared in an exclusive interview with India Today that Neeraj might require only a minor surgery, which could allow him to return to competition sooner rather than later.
Manisha said, “Lots of thoughts, because a lot is going to change for Neeraj right now. Surgery was the only thing that was going to fix that issue,. The pain remains in the groin, but it’s a hernia issue, and it’s not major surgery.”
She added, “It’s literally like a separation that needs to be stitched together. It was an option on the cards last year. But he didn’t want to take a chance before the Olympics. So he said, I’ll manage till then, and so that option is definitely on the cards.”
Additionally, there may be significant changes to Neeraj’s support team, with biomechanics expert Dr. Klaus Bartonietz potentially no longer working with him year-round.
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