Fact check: Did the Neeraj-Arshad gesture occur at the Paris Olympics?

On Friday, a video has been making the rounds on social media, claiming to show a heartwarming moment between India’s javelin star Neeraj Chopra and Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem after the Paris Olympics.

In the video, Neeraj Chopra is seen calling Arshad Nadeem over to pose with their national flags, with the caption suggesting that this moment occurred after Nadeem won gold and Chopra took silver.

The moment, which has garnered significant attention, portrays a beautiful display of camaraderie between the two athletes, who have consistently demonstrated mutual respect and admiration despite the tense relations between their countries.

However, there is just one minor inaccuracy about the post.

The touching moment occurred not at the 2024 Paris Olympics but rather after the World Athletics Championships held in Budapest in 2023.

During that event, Neeraj Chopra clinched the gold medal with a throw of 88.17 meters, while Arshad Nadeem secured the silver with a throw of 87.82 meters.

The two athletes, known for their fierce but friendly rivalry, once again shared the podium, continuing to bring pride to South Asia in the world of track and field.

The video captures the moment after the medal ceremony in Budapest, where Neeraj Chopra noticed that Arshad Nadeem was without his national flag.

In a spontaneous gesture, Chopra called Nadeem over, inviting him to join the photo opportunity with the Indian flag, symbolizing their shared success and the respect they have for each other.

While the video itself is genuine, and the moment significant, and the sentiment powerful as well, its attribution to the Paris Olympics is inaccurate.