India, Dec 05: India’s Olympic and World champion javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra will miss the 2026 season opener as he continues to recover from a back injury sustained in September 2025, just ahead of the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo. The injury, which caused swelling and limited mobility, contributed to an uncharacteristic eighth place finish for Chopra, ending his streak of top-two finishes across 26 consecutive competitions since 2021.
AFI spokesperson Adille Sumariwalla confirmed on January 3 that Chopra’s focus is on rehabilitation and full recovery, rather than early-season competitions. “He had two injuries, and the priority now is recovery, not the season opener,” Sumariwalla said, praising Chopra’s determination to compete despite his condition.
Despite the setback, Chopra had an impressive season overall, with a season-best throw of 90.23m at the Doha Diamond League in May 2025. There is currently no confirmed timeline for his return to competitive action, but the focus remains on regaining full fitness ahead of the Asian Games in Japan, scheduled from September 19 to October 4, 2026.
AFI Asian Games Qualification Rules:
The Athletics Federation of India has announced new stricter qualification criteria for the Asian Games. Athletes are required to participate in a minimum of three competitions—one state-level meet and two national-level events organized by AFI—unless exempted.
Neeraj Chopra has been granted a special exemption from these domestic competitions to allow sufficient time for recovery. “People qualify in January and then do nothing before the Asian Games, and when they go there, they don’t perform. We want to see whether an athlete is improving or declining. One good day is not enough at this level,” Sumariwalla said, adding that the rules apply uniformly to all athletes except in exceptional cases.
Chopra’s careful management ahead of the Asian Games aims to ensure he returns fully fit to defend his titles and maintain India’s medal hopes on the continental stage.