In what has come as a major disappointment to athletics enthusiasts, double Olympic medallist Neeraj Chopra and Paris Olympics gold medallist Arshad Nadeem have both withdrawn from the upcoming Silesia Diamond League, thus dashing all hopes of an India-Pakistan face-off. Nadeem is missing the tournament after undergoing surgery on his right calf in July, with his coach confirming he has been ruled out. However, the reason for Neeraj’s withdrawal remains unclear. The tournament was scheduled for Saturday, August 16, in Silesia, Poland. Nadeem claimed the Olympic gold with a huge throw of 92.97m, edging out Neeraj, who recorded a best of 89.45m to settle for silver. Neeraj kicked off the 2025 season well, starting with a win at the Potch Invitational in Potchefstroom, South Africa, in April. Neeraj then made history at the Doha Diamond League by finishing second and recording his first-ever throw beyond 90 meters, reaching 90.23m. Neeraj maintained his momentum by bagging second place at the Janusz Kusocinski Memorial in Poland. Most recently, Neeraj claimed a win at the inaugural Neeraj Chopra Classic, held at Sri Kanteerava Outdoor Stadium in Bengaluru, a competition named in his honour. Nadeem was slated to compete at the Neeraj Chopra Classic in Bengaluru in July, but because of border tensions between India and Pakistan in May, he wasn’t extended an invitation. Neeraj and Arshad are now gearing up for the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, all set to take place from September 13 to 21. Neeraj is the current javelin World Champion, having bagged the title in 2023 with a throw of 88.17m. Neeraj might feature at the Brussels Diamond League on August 22 as well. Meanwhile, after his historic Paris Olympics win, Nadeem expressed deep frustration over promises made by the Pakistan government that remain unfulfilled. Despite being the first Pakistani athlete to win a gold medal in track and field, Nadeem revealed that he has yet to receive key promised rewards, including land plots announced after his win.