Sri Lankan star Rumesh Pathirage’s javelin broken ahead of Asian Games, tell me about this news in (https://www.aljazeera.com/sports/2026/9/16/sri-lankan-star-rumesh-pathirages-javelin-broken-ahead-of-asian-games)

According to the report, Sri Lankan javelin thrower Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage faced a major setback ahead of the Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan, after all five of his javelins arrived broken following a flight back from the World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Budapest, Hungary.Key details from the news:

• The Incident: Pathirage discovered upon landing in Katunayake that five of his carefully packed javelinsincluding the ones he threw to win gold in Budapest with a 91.09-meter markwere damaged during transit on Turkish Airlines.
• Athlete and Coach Reaction: Pathirage posted photos of the damaged equipment on social media with the sarcastic note “Thank you Turkish Airlines,” calling it a “priceless loss” while maintaining he would move forward. His coach, Tony Prasanna, emphasized that beyond the high financial cost (over $800 each), the loss carries a heavy emotional and psychological toll, as three of those specific javelins were planned to be used through the 2028 Olympics.
• Government Response: Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Sports announced it will provide new equipment for the world number-one thrower and intends to pursue appropriate legal action with the airline. Pathirage remains Sri Lanka’s prime gold medal contender at the Asian Games, where he is set to face Pakistan’s Olympic champion Arshad Nadeem.