Lifetime ban: Arshad's coach Salman awaits official notice before planning next move

Arshad Nadeem’s coach and former President of Punjab Athletics Association Salman Butt has said he will respond to the Athletics Federation of Pakistan’s (AFP) lifetime ban decision once he receives and reads official documentation detailing the grounds for the decision.

“I have not yet received the official outcome of the AFP Executive Committee’s decision. Once I understand the reasons behind the move, I will decide my course of action,” Salman Butt told this correspondent.

This correspondent understands that Butt will need to first go to the AFP arbitration for seeking relief.

Butt has played a pivotal role in the career of Arshad Nadeem, particularly following the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Over the past four years, he has served as Nadeem’s exclusive coach and coordinator, including during periods when South African coach Terseus Liebenberg was supervising Arshad’s training both during his stay in South Africa and remotely once he returned home.

The AFP, during its Executive Committee meeting held on October 10, 2025, under the chairmanship of Brigadier (retd) Wajahat Hussain, took several disciplinary and administrative decisions aimed at reinforcing constitutional compliance and organizational transparency.

“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, to which he himself is a signatory,” the AFP said in an official press release.

“As a result, Butt is permanently barred from participating in any athletics-related activity whether as an athlete, coach, official, or office bearer at both national and international levels, within or outside Pakistan,” the statement added.

The development raises questions about whether Butt will continue to coach Olympic gold medalist Arshad Nadeem, particularly as the AFP has not been directly involved with Arshad’s training since his historic victory at the Paris Olympics last year. Since then the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) and Salman Butt have overseen his training while the AFP has only been responsible for submitting his entries for international competitions.

Arshad is currently undergoing training in Punjab with Butt continuing in his role as coach.

In addition to the action against Butt, the AFP also imposed a ten-year ban on Habib Shah, former Secretary of the Punjab Athletics Association, prohibiting him from participating in any athletics-related activity at national or international levels.

The AFP further declared the Punjab Athletics Association’s elections held on August 31, 2025, as unconstitutional, illegal, and null and void ab initio.

“These elections were announced at midnight on August 29, merely two days before they were held, in clear violation of the AFP Constitution, which mandates a minimum of 21 days’ notice for convening an electoral meeting, and at least 7 days’ notice for submission of nomination papers,” the AFP noted.

The Committee also highlighted that even the Senior Vice President of the Punjab Athletics Association was unaware of the election schedule until August 30—just one day before the vote—further demonstrating the lack of transparency and procedural integrity.

The AFP Executive Committee condemned the actions as a deliberate attempt to undermine the federation’s Constitution and affirmed that such violations would not be tolerated under any circumstances.

To restore proper governance, the Committee has established a Management Committee, led by AFP Senior Vice President Madam Shahida Khanum, tasked with conducting fresh, fair, and constitutionally compliant elections for the Punjab Athletics Association. The committee will also oversee the Association’s routine operations until the electoral process is completed.

The AFP leadership reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to upholding the Constitution, maintaining discipline, and promoting the integrity and unity of athletics across Pakistan. The federation emphasized that no individual or group would be permitted to act outside the bounds of the Constitution.