Neeraj Chopra Ruled Out of 2026 Asian Games After Ankle Ligament Tear

Neeraj Chopra will miss the 2026 Asian Games and Diamond League Final after an ankle ligament injury during training ended his season earlier than expected.Neeraj Chopra has been forced to end his 2026 season after suffering an ankle ligament tear during training.

Chopra will miss the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi Nagoya, Japan.The injury also rules him out of the Diamond League Final.The setback comes at a difficult point in Neeraj Chopra’s season, with the Indian javelin star beginning to find his rhythm after returning from a lengthy injury layoff.

Chopra had competed at the Lausanne Diamond League shortly before the injury and produced a Season’s Best effort. The performance had raised hopes that he was moving towards his best form ahead of the Asian Games.

However, the 28 year old sustained the ankle ligament tear during a training session soon after the Lausanne event. Following discussions with his medical team and doctor, he decided to step away from competition for the remainder of the year and concentrate on his recovery.

The Lausanne appearance was Chopra’s third competitive outing of the 2026 season. He had earlier returned to action at the Doha Diamond League in June, finishing fourth with a throw of 85.69 metres.

He then competed in Glasgow, where he secured a silver medal with an 85.83 metre effort. Sri Lanka’s Rumesh Pathirage took the gold on that occasion with a huge 89.75 metre throw.

Chopra had hoped to build on those performances and enter the Asian Games in strong shape. Instead, the Lausanne Diamond League has now become his final competition of the season.

In his statement, Chopra admitted that the timing of the injury was disappointing, particularly because he felt he was beginning to regain his rhythm. He also said his immediate priority was to recover properly and return stronger.

His absence is expected to be a major setback for India at the Asian Games, where Chopra was among the country’s biggest medal hopes. The event in Aichi Nagoya begins next month.

Chopra will also miss the Diamond League Final. Before the injury, he had moved up to seventh in the standings and remained in contention for a place in the season ending event.

The focus now shifts from competition to rehabilitation as Chopra prepares for his return to the javelin circuit.