Neeraj Chopra ruled out of Asian Games and Diamond League Final after ankle ligament tear

Neeraj Chopra announced on 29 August 2026 that he will miss the remainder of the 2026 season after suffering a ligament tear in his ankle, ruling him out of the Diamond League Final in Brussels on September 5 and the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya in September. The 28-year-old shared the update on social media and said the injury occurred during training shortly after his season-best performance in Lausanne.

Chopra recorded a season-best throw of 88.05m at the Lausanne Diamond League, where he finished second; that competition was his last outing before the injury. He said the ligament tear happened shortly after that result and, following consultations with his doctor and team, he opted to withdraw from the rest of the season.

Despite appearing in only two of the five Diamond League meetings this year, Chopra had qualified for the Brussels final, ranked sixth overall after the Zurich leg finalised the standings. His other Diamond League appearance this season was in Doha, where he placed fourth with a throw of 85.69m.

In July at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow Chopra won silver with a best mark of 85.83m while he was not fully fit, according to the report. His Lausanne result of 88.05m remained his season best prior to the training injury.

Chopra is a two-time Olympic medallist and a former World champion. He is the defending Asian Games javelin champion, having taken gold in Hangzhou in 2023 with a throw of 88.88m; India also secured silver at that event through Kishore Jena.

On the decision to stop competing this season Chopra wrote: “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. “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 added: “It’s disappointing, especially because I felt close to finding my rhythm. But as they say, setbacks are a part of the journey. My focus now is on recovering well and coming back even stronger.”

With Chopra unavailable, Rohit Yadav will be India’s sole entrant in the men’s javelin at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games. Chopra will also miss the World Athletics Ultimate Championships and is expected to return to competition next season.

Chopra’s withdrawal confirms he will not compete at the Diamond League Final in Brussels on September 5 or at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya in September, and he will sit out the remainder of the 2026 season as he concentrates on recovery.