The much-anticipated Neeraj Chopra Classic javelin throw event, which was scheduled for May 24 in Bengaluru, has been postponed indefinitely in the wake of the escalating tensions between India and Pakistan.

"In the light of the current situation, the inaugural edition of the NC Classic stands postponed until further notice," read a statement issued by the organisers.

"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.

"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 of our nation. Jai Hind."

The NC Classic given the A Category status by World Athletics was going to be the biggest single-event athletic championship in India. Double Olympic medallist Neeraj Chopra had announced the high-profile javelin tournament last month.

Several leading javelin throwers in the world were set to participate, namely two-time world champion Anderson Peters, Thomas Rohler, Julius Yego and Curtis Thompson among others.

Chopra had invited Pakistan's Olympic champion Arshad Nadeem to the event, but he declined due to his prepartion for the Asian Championships. After the Pahalgam terror attack carried out by Pakistan-based terrorists, Chopra received a lot of hatred on social media. He later issued a statement expressing his pain as several responses questioned his integrity and love for India.

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