Pakistan's javelin star Arshad Nadeem has pulled out of the ongoing Asian Games 2023 in Hangzhou, China. Nadeem was set to start his Asiad campaign on October 4 and was one of the biggest medal hopes for Pakistan. But after a last-minute, MRI revealed that Nadeem was carrying a knee injury.
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The development was shared by a Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) official, who confirmed that Arshad informed the POA and Pakistan contingent that he would not participate in the event due to a chronic injury. The POA released a statement about how Arshad complained of pain in his knees after his first session in Hangzhou.
“After arrival at Hangzhou at the first training session on 27th September 2023, Mr Arshad Nadeem revealed and complained to Dr Asad Abbas who was accompanying him that he has been grappling with persistent pain for several months, a concern that has become particularly pressing in the aftermath of the World Athletics Championship,” the statement stated.
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“On 2nd October, he again complained of pain in the right knee and expressed a desire to undergo an evaluation to determine the impact on his ability to participate in the javelin throw event. The Chief Medical Officer of the Pakistan Contingent recommended a comprehensive check-up.
“Arshad Nadeem underwent a thorough medical examination, including a non-invasive test i.e. MRI at a local hospital in Hangzhou. The MRI revealed a chronic injury which he has been carrying,” the statement concluded.