Dr. M. Fahad Humayun
Assistant Professor in the University of Evansville Department of Communication. His research focuses on contemporary sports journalism, particularly in the global south.
Email: fahad.humayun@colorado.edu
Twitter: @Humayun_fahad
Sporting events, particularly the Olympics, have the potential to function as a mechanism for fostering collective national identity by generating a shared experience among citizens. The act of watching and supporting national athletes can facilitate a sense of social cohesion that often transcends the prevailing social, political, and economic divisions. Moreover, the achievements of athletes on the global stage frequently become symbols of national resilience, particularly during periods of adversity. These victories can enhance national morale and contribute to a heightened sense of collective accomplishment, reinforcing a shared national consciousness. Arshad Nadeem of Pakistan managed to do just that with a Javelin throw in the Paris Olympics 2024.
During the Paris 2024 Olympics, Arshad Nadeem made history by breaking a sixteen-year-old Olympic record in javelin, a record previously held by Norway’s Andreas Thorkildsen, who set the mark of 90.57 meters at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Nadeem’s achievement not only set a new Olympic standard but also secured him a place in history as the first athlete from Pakistan, a nation of over 235 million people, to win an individual gold medal. His remarkable success garnered extensive media coverage, not only in Pakistan but also internationally, including in India and across major global news outlets such as Reuters, Time Magazine, NBC News, Deutsche Welle, and Al-Jazeera, some of which published multiple articles highlighting his accomplishment. Notably, Nadeem’s victory was even celebrated in India despite the historically tense diplomatic relations between the two nations, with Indian media and social media lauding his success. One reason for the global appraisal of his achievement could be that Nadeem’s triumph epitomizes the classic “David vs. Goliath” narrative in sports.
Nadeem began his javelin-throwing career under remarkably modest circumstances, crafting homemade javelins from long eucalyptus branches found in the fields of his village. His weight training apparatus consisted of improvised materials, such as oil canisters and concrete blocks. Financial support from his fellow villagers enabled him to participate in early competitions. Despite winning a silver medal—the first individual silver for Pakistan—at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, Nadeem continued to face a lack of institutional support. As recently as April of this year, he publicly requested a new javelin for practice, a plea that was amplified by his Indian rival, Neeraj Chopra. Nevertheless, Nadeem’s gold medal victory served as a significant morale booster for a nation grappling with economic challenges.
Upon his return to Pakistan, Nadeem was awarded approximately one million dollars in cash gifts from national and provincial governments. His arrival was marked by a ceremonial water cannon salute for his plane, and he was greeted by thousands of supporters, including several federal ministers. Plans are underway to establish a new sports training facility in his hometown and to issue a commemorative postage stamp in his honor. Nadeem’s triumph notably coincided with Pakistan’s Independence Day, and he was the chief guest at several celebratory events, traveling between cities on a private plane to attend these ceremonies.
The sports media coverage of Nadeem’s success offers both familiar insights and potentially new directions for research. The use of athletic achievements in the construction of national identity, the promotion of symbolic nationalism, the creation of heroic narratives, and the deployment of sports as political tools are well-documented themes in existing literature. Typically, sports media contributes to national identity by intensifying national rivalries, often highlighting historical or geopolitical tensions between nations. Competitions are frequently portrayed as symbolic contests for national honor, with media coverage of victories reinforcing these broader enmities.
However, the case of Nadeem presents an intriguing deviation from this pattern. Despite his closest competitor being Neeraj Chopra of India—Pakistan’s longstanding rival off the field—there was a notable absence of amplified national rivalry in the media coverage. Both Pakistani and Indian media chose to downplay the traditional narrative of rivalry, and this sentiment was echoed on social media platforms by citizens from both countries.
Several factors may explain this departure. Firstly, the close friendship between Chopra and Nadeem likely influenced the media’s approach. After Nadeem’s victory, Chopra’s mother publicly expressed joy, remarking that the winner was like a son to her. Additionally, it is important to note that javelin throw is not a widely popular sport in either country; cricket dominates the sports landscape in both India and Pakistan. Even though cricket players from both nations often share close personal relationships, the national rivalry frame is predominantly, if not exclusively, applied to cricket.
Nadeem’s case suggests that, within the field of sports media and nationalism, there is room for further exploration into how and why the amplification of nationalism may be selectively applied to certain sports only.
