‘Didn’t know javelin throw was Olympic sport….’: Saina Nehwal’s confession triggers social media outrage

When Neeraj won, that is when I got to know about athletics has got this game too, she said during a podcast interview

Tribune Web Desk

Updated At : 05:02 PM Aug 13, 2024 IST

Indian badminton player Saina Nehwal. Photo: A video grab X

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Chandigarh, August 13

Saina Nehwal, the ace badminton player, is facing social media backlash after she confessed that she did not know that “javelin throw” was an Olympic sport until Neeraj Chopra won gold medal in 2021 during Tokyo Olympics.

While speaking to podcaster Shubhankar Mishra in an interview, Nehwal said, “When Neeraj won, that is when I got to know about athletics has got this game too. You’ll gain knowledge only when you see it, right? If you don’t see, how will you know? I did not know about javelin throw. Frankly, I didn’t know. Because athletics has many sports. I got to know only when the results came, that is when I knew.”

As soon as this video snippet went viral on social media, Internet users slammed and criticised her for her ignorance. Many even compared her with actor-turned-politician Kangana Ranaut, addressing her as “Kangana Ranaut of sports”.

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