In a dramatic escalation of tensions within Pakistan athletics, the Athletics Federation of Pakistan (AFP) has imposed a lifetime ban on Salman Iqbal Butt, coach of Olympic champion Arshad Nadeem, for what the federation describes as “gross violations of the AFP Constitution.” This extraordinary decision comes just days after Butt defended his coaching role following Nadeem’s disappointing 10th-place finish at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.
The Athletics Federation of Pakistan on Sunday imposed a lifetime ban on Salman Butt, coach of Olympic champion Arshad Nadeem, “for gross violations of the AFP Constitution” in an attempt to “uphold transparency, constitutional compliance, and organizational integrity within the federation.”
After careful review and deliberation, the Executive Committee imposed a lifetime ban on Salman Butt, former office bearer of the Punjab Athletics Association, for gross violations of the AFP Constitution, on which he himself is a signatory. Butt is henceforth barred for life from participating in any AFP-related activities, including administrative roles, coaching positions, and event participation.
The controversy began when Arshad Nadeem’s 10th-place finish at the World Athletics Championships prompted an inquiry from the AFP, which demanded that his coach explain the underwhelming performance. It emerged that Butt wrote a letter to respond to the AFP’s query after the country’s star javelin thrower failed to qualify for the top eight athletes at the global event.
The 28-year-old Arshad, who made entire Pakistan feel proud by winning a gold medal with a record 92.97-meter throw at the 2024 Paris Olympics, finished a poor 10th in the World Championships with his best throw of 82.75 meters, representing a significant decline from his Olympic form.
In a detailed response letter, Salman Butt rejected allegations of non-cooperation and instead accused the federation of distancing itself from Arshad Nadeem’s training and development over the past year, a factor he believes contributed to the athlete’s dip in form.
The coach reminded the federation that he was appointed as Nadeem’s coach and mentor in 2021, during which time the javelin thrower brought unprecedented glory to Pakistan, including Olympic gold, four additional golds, and one silver in international competitions between 2022 and 2025.
Butt’s defense centered on medical challenges that disrupted Nadeem’s World Championships preparation. He revealed that the athlete’s preparation was disrupted by a leg injury sustained on July 4, which required surgery in England, followed by a three-week rehabilitation stint in London before traveling to Tokyo.
Explaining the disappointing performance, Butt said Nadeem was still in recovery and struggled in the hot, humid conditions of Tokyo, where the hard runway surface aggravated pain in his operated leg. Despite being declared fully fit before the competition, the challenging conditions and incomplete recovery impacted performance significantly.
Salman Butt dismissed suggestions that he had refused to share training details, calling such claims “completely baseless.” Instead, he accused the AFP of failing to stay engaged with Nadeem’s progress, revealing that much of Nadeem’s overseas training was privately funded by one of his close friends, not by the federation.
This revelation highlighted systemic issues within Pakistan’s athletic support structure, where even Olympic champions must rely on private funding for essential training and preparation.
Butt concluded his initial response letter by urging collective accountability within Pakistan’s sporting system: “When we celebrate victories together, we must also share responsibility for defeats.” This statement emphasized his belief that success and failure should be viewed as organizational rather than individual responsibilities.
The sentiment resonated with many observers who noted the contrast between lavish celebrations following Nadeem’s Olympic triumph and the harsh scrutiny following a single disappointing result.
The AFP’s lifetime ban decision focuses on constitutional violations rather than coaching performance. The federation alleges that Butt, as one of the signatories of the AFP Constitution himself, was found guilty of serious misconduct and administrative negligence for overseeing unconstitutional proceedings within provincial athletics associations.
The specific constitutional violations have not been detailed publicly, but the AFP maintains the ban is necessary to ensure fair and transparent elections in accordance with the federation’s constitution.
Beyond Salman Butt’s lifetime ban, the AFP Executive Committee also imposed a ten-year ban on Habib Shah for what it labeled “gross misconduct, administrative irregularities, and breach of the AFP constitution,” indicating broader governance disputes within Pakistan athletics administration.
These administrative actions suggest deep-seated tensions within Pakistan’s athletics governance structure extending beyond the immediate coaching controversy surrounding Arshad Nadeem’s World Championships performance.
The lifetime ban on his long-time coach creates significant uncertainty for Arshad Nadeem’s future training and competition preparation. Since 2021, Butt has been integral to Nadeem’s development into an Olympic champion and consistent international medalist.
Finding a replacement coach who can maintain Nadeem’s elite performance level while managing his post-surgery rehabilitation presents substantial challenges for Pakistan athletics administrators.
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Arshad Nadeem’s underwhelming outing in Tokyo stands in stark contrast to his dominant run over the past few years, where he etched his name in history as Pakistan’s first-ever Olympic gold medalist in track and field. The coach’s remarks before the ban highlighted deeper issues that inconsistent institutional support may have played just as significant a role as injury in the recent setback.
The controversy raises fundamental questions about how Pakistan supports its elite athletes, particularly regarding funding, medical care, and administrative oversight that enables rather than hinders championship-level preparation.
This unprecedented administrative action creates uncertainty about Pakistan’s approach to developing and supporting elite athletes. The public dispute between an Olympic champion’s coach and the national federation damages Pakistan’s athletic reputation internationally while creating instability at precisely the time when Nadeem requires consistent support for continued success.
As this situation develops, the focus must return to ensuring Arshad Nadeem receives the support, coaching, and resources necessary to maintain his status as one of the world’s premier javelin throwers.