Neeraj Chopra, India’s first ever Olympic gold medallist in athletics, on Thursday said he does not want his comments to be used as a medium to further vested interests and propaganda.

“I would request everyone to please not use me and my comments as a medium to further your vested interests and propaganda. Sports teaches us to be together and united. I’m extremely disappointed to see some of the reactions from the public on my recent comments,” Chopra wrote on his Twitter account.

In the video, Chopra said there was no controversy concerning his javelin and his Pakistan counterpart Arshad Nadeem ahead of the men’s javelin throw final at Tokyo Olympics.

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One of Chopra’s quotes in a recent interview with Times of India led to a social media controversy as some read far too much into Chopra taking his javelin from Nadeem before his first throw.

Chopra said nothing outside the rules happened.

“I want to clarify my recent comments in an interview where I mentioned that Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem was using my javelin. It has been turned into a big controversy when actually it is a very simple matter,” Chopra said in the video.

“We keep the personal javelin there (in the rack) but anyone can use the javelins in the rack, that is the rule. So there is nothing wrong with what Nadeem was doing there. He was preparing for his throw with my javelin and then I asked for it from him for my throw. It is no big deal,” he added.

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The 23-year-old also urged people to stop using him to churn out controversies.

“I’m saddened by the fact that people are using it to cause controversy using my name. I request everyone to not indulge in this. Sports teaches us to be together. All the javelin throwers share a great bond so I request everyone to not say anything that would hurt my sentiments,” he said.

Chopra won the gold medal in the men’s javelin throw at Tokyo Olympics to win independent India’s first-ever Olympic medal in track and field.

Watch the full video below: