Claim: Olympic athlete, javelin thrower Arshad Nadeem is raising funds through X (formerly Twitter) for a new javelin
Fact: Nadeem has not asked anyone to raise funds for a new javelin
On 3 March 2024, social media user Muneeb Farrukh shared a post on X with a photograph of javelin-thrower Arshad Nadeem and a caption implying that he is raising funds to buy a new javelin. The caption is as follows:
“IMPORTANT: Arshad Nadeem needs a new javelin since the one he currently has is out of shape. He is our best chance of winning a medal at Olympics this year after a long gap of 32 years. Twitter do your thing, let’s give our hero Arshad all the help he needs 🇵🇰✨ RTs appreciated.”
While Farrukh does not explicitly state that Arshad is fundraising for a new javelin, some social media users may believe that to be the case after reading his post.
The post links to an article published by Express Tribune, which mentions that Nadeem has one international standard javelin which has now become crooked, “This correspondent has learned that Arshad has one international standard javelin which has now become crooked as he has used it for a year now,” the article further adds, “Right now, Arshad only has one javelin from Nameth, that too a brand he started to use just two to three years ago. In other scenarios before this Arshad had to train with locally made javelins which are often painful to train with after a while, and they increase the chances of injuries as they strain the shoulder and elbows.”
Fact or Fiction?
On 3 March 2024, Nadeem shared a clarification on his official X account. The post said:
“Hello People, One message for you all is I didn’t delegate any one to collect money on my belhalf.
Please Beware of these Scammers.
And keep supporting.
I just need your moral support to win Gold medal from Coming Olympic,
Thanks.”
The viral post on X took the details from the Express Tribune article out of context to imply that Nadeem requires funds to buy a new javelin. The article was meant to draw attention towards the larger problems of how Pakistan deals with its athletes, and how those trying to participate in the Olympics are not provided with any facilities by the state, such as custom-gym, equipment to practice with, etc.
In January 2024, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) initiated an inquiry into the financial irregularities in the Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) and issued a notice to its president. According to an article published by Pakistan Today, “Through the notice issued to the President Pakistan Olympic Association and DG Pakistan Sports Board, the FIA anti-corruption circle Islamabad has informed that it is inquiring regarding huge irregularities in total expenditures of both the sports governing bodies.”
Lt General Syed Arif Hasan, at the age of 73, was the longest-serving president of the POA. After 20 years, he was replaced by a new president in January 2024. During this time, several probes were launched to investigate his incompetence and the corruption allegations against him.
Given this context of the irregularities within the Pakistan Olympics Association (POA) and Nadeem’s original tweet, it is clear that the POA has not supported him or any athletic endeavours in the recent past; nonetheless, Nadeem never asked for anyone to fundraise for a javelin on his behalf.
Virality
The post on X received more than 284,600 views and more than 1,500 interactions.
Conclusion: Arshad Nadeem has issued a clarification that he did not delegate anyone to raise funds for him, and disapproved when he found out that a social media user is raising funds for a new javelin.
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Background image in cover photo: Olympics
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