Neeraj Chopra withdraws from Doha Diamond League due to injury

Indian javelin star Neeraj Chopra will not compete at the upcoming Doha Diamond League meeting on June 19 as he continues to recover from a back injury while training in Switzerland.

The two-time Olympic medallist, who claimed gold at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 and silver at the Paris Olympics in 2024, has opted to focus on rehabilitation and preparation for the major events later this year, including the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games.

Chopra is currently based in Bienne, Switzerland, where he is undergoing a 47-day off-season training programme.

The 28-year-old is working closely with his long-time physiotherapist Ishaan Marwaha and coach Jai Choudhary as he looks to regain full fitness ahead of a busy second half of the season.

His absence means fans will not get a repeat of last year's memorable performance in Doha.

The Indian thrower opened his 2025 Diamond League campaign in the Qatari capital and produced a historic throw of 90.23m, breaking the elusive 90-metre barrier for the first time and setting a new national record.

However, despite Chopra's landmark effort, Germany's Julian Weber stole victory with a stunning final-round throw of 91.06m, producing one of the most memorable javelin contests in recent years.

This year's Doha event is expected to feature another world-class field.

Leading the lineup is Sri Lanka's Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage, who arrives as the world leader after launching a national-record throw of 92.62m to win the Diamond League meeting in Rome on June 4.

Joining him will be Pakistan's Olympic champion Arshad Nadeem and reigning world champion Keshorn Walcott of Trinidad and Tobago.

The competition will also include several other elite throwers, among them Grenada's former two-time world champion and Olympic bronze medallist Anderson Peters, as well as American world bronze medallist Curtis Thompson.

Veteran Kenyan Julius Yego, a former world champion and Olympic silver medallist, is also set to compete alongside Czech star Jakub Vadlejch, who has previously won Olympic and World Championship silver medals.

The Doha meet, officially known as the Mazzraty Doha Meeting, is the seventh stop of the 2026 Wanda Diamond League season.

The prestigious series features 15 events across four continents and began in Shanghai/Keqiao on May 16.

The season will conclude with the Diamond League Final in Brussels, scheduled for September 4-5.

While Chopra's absence will be a significant loss for fans in Doha, the Indian star remains focused on returning to full fitness as he targets success at the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games later this year.