Indian javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra reacted to his mother's praise for Pakistan's Arshad Nadeem, saying she says everything from her heart.
Neeraj's comments come after his mother, Saroj Devi, heaped praises on the 27-year-old Pakistani star, calling him a "son" after he bagged a gold medal in the Olympics.
"Arshad bhi mera beta hai (Arshad is like a son to me)," the Indian sports star's mother said.
"Whatever my mother says, she says from her heart. The family members of athletes from each country pray for their victory," said the 26-year-old while addressing a presser on his return to his home country.
Earlier, in a thrilling final, Nadeem set a new Olympic record with a throw of 92.97 metres and earned a gold medal after 40 years.
The Indian javelin thrower also spoke about the relationship between Pakistan and India and the ties between their people.
Neeraj emphasised that the respect and camaraderie between him and Arshad on the field are strong, despite the political tensions that continue to brew on both sides of the borders.
"With regards to sports, we [India and Pakistan] have always been playing with each other, but what happens on the border is a completely different matter... We want everything to remain peaceful, but it is not in our hands," the athlete said.
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