Neeraj Chopra becomes co-owner of UBS Athletics Kids Cup
Two-time Olympic medallist Neeraj Chopra became co-owner of the UBS Athletics Kids Cup in India, the athlete announced on August 7, 2026. Chopra had served as the programme's ambassador for the past two seasons and said the move reflects his desire to inspire more children to embrace sport and active lifestyles.
The UBS Athletics Kids Cup is described as one of India's largest grassroots sports initiatives, designed to introduce children to sport through fun, inclusive and accessible competition. Chopra's transition to co-owner was presented as a continuation of his work with the programme, which aims to expand participation and reach a larger share of young people nationwide.
The initiative has engaged more than 250,000 children across over 2,500 schools in five cities. Nearly 50% of all participants have been girls.
On announcing his new role, Chopra said: "Over the last two seasons, I have seen the impact that UBS Athletics Kids Cup has created for children across schools. Every child deserves an opportunity to discover and showcase their talent, and becoming Co-owner felt like the natural next step because I truly believe in the vision we're building together. Our ambition is to reach one million children and inspire many more youngsters to embrace sport. I look forward to sharing my own experiences with the kids, teachers and schools, because the more children play, the greater the chance of creating future champions."
Daniel Schenker, CEO of Dspowerparts and co-founder of the initiative, welcomed Chopra's announcement and said: "The strongest validation any programme can receive is when someone who knows the field better than anyone else chooses to invest personally in its future. Neeraj has seen the impact, met the children and understands the vision. His decision to become a Partner is a powerful signal of what we can achieve together in the years ahead."
Beyond introducing young people to sport, the programme states it aims to instil confidence, discipline and lifelong participation in physical activity as part of building a stronger sporting culture from the grassroots up. Organisers said Chopra's involvement moves the initiative into a next phase of growth, with an expressed ambition to reach one million children across India.
Chopra's season has been interrupted by injury, but he opened his 2026 campaign with a fourth-place finish at the Doha Diamond League, where his best throw of 85.69m also secured qualification for the Commonwealth Games. He then returned to Glasgow to claim the Commonwealth Games silver medal with an effort of 85.83m, describing the medal as especially meaningful after battling injuries for nearly 10 months.
Chopra is scheduled to compete next at the Lausanne Diamond League on August 21 before heading to lead India's campaign at Asian Games 2026.