Neeraj Chopra ruled out of 2026 season due to ankle ligament tear

Olympic medallist Neeraj Chopra on Saturday announced that he has suffered a ligament tear in his ankle during training, ruling him out of the rest of the 2026 season and the upcoming Asian Games.

Chopra said he sustained the injury shortly after producing a season-best throw in Lausanne, where he felt he was finally finding the momentum he had been looking for.

“After a period of hard work, I finally felt I was gaining the momentum I had been looking for with a Season's Best throw in Lausanne,” Chopra said in a social media post.

“Unfortunately, shortly after, I sustained a ligament tear in my ankle during training. After discussions with my doctor and team, we've decided that I will sit out the rest of this season,” he said.

Chopra said the decision was disappointing as he felt close to finding his rhythm, but added that setbacks were part of the journey.

“My focus now is on recovering well and coming back even stronger,” he said.

His decision to end his season means Chopra will miss the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, from September 19 to October 4, where he had been expected to defend his title.

The 28-year-old had been confirmed by the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) in June as part of India's Asian Games plans. He had also been named in the 32-member Indian team for the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow from July 23 to August 2.

Chopra's withdrawal also rules him out of the Diamond League Final, for which he had qualified.

The injury comes after Chopra returned to competition this season following a lower back injury sustained before the Tokyo World Championships in September 2025. He made a late start to the 2026 season at the Doha Diamond League, finishing fourth with a throw of 85.69 metres.

Chopra won gold at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou with a throw of 88.88 metres. He had also won the title at the 2022 Asian Games in China with an 88-metre effort.

His absence is a major setback for India's athletics campaign at the Asian Games, where the men's javelin competition was expected to feature a strong field.

Sri Lankan thrower Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage had crossed the 90-metre mark earlier this year and won two Diamond League titles, including in Doha, where Chopra finished fourth. Pakistan's Olympic champion Arshad Nadeem was also expected to be in contention.

The Sports Ministry has approved a 492-member Indian contingent for the Asian Games, with athletics accounting for the largest share at 73 athletes.