ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) has revoked the lifetime ban imposed on the coach of Arshad Nadeem. Earlier, the Athletics Federation of Pakistan imposed a lifetime ban on coach Salman Iqbal Butt. However, the PSB has reinstated Salman Iqbal Butt.
The ruling, issued by Senator Pervaiz Rashid acting as an adjudicator for the PSB, declared that the Athletics Federation of Pakistan (AFP) had imposed the ban “without lawful authority” and that it was unconstitutional, ultra vires, and void from the very beginning.
The AFP had announced the ban on October 12, but Butt challenged the move, arguing that the federation lacked jurisdiction and had failed to follow due legal procedure. After reviewing the case, the adjudicator ruled in his favour on November 13.
In the written order, the adjudicator stated that the lifetime ban held no legal merit and must be treated as null. The AFP was directed to immediately withdraw all letters and notifications it had sent to international bodies, including World Athletics and Asian Athletics, which had adversely affected Butt’s professional reputation. The federation was further restrained from issuing any defamatory or harmful communications about him in the future.
The decision detailed several procedural lapses by the AFP. The adjudicator observed that Butt was never issued a formal charge sheet, was not provided with any inquiry report, and was denied a fair chance to present a defence. The order emphasised that any penalty imposed without fulfilling due process requirements remained invalid.
Citing Articles 4, 10-A, and 25 of the Constitution of Pakistan, the ruling noted that the punishment was excessive, unsupported by the AFP’s own rules, and beyond the federation’s lawful authority.
The case also touched upon a dispute linked to the Punjab Athletics Association (PAA) elections, which the AFP had attempted to nullify. The adjudicator concluded that the AFP lacked jurisdiction in this matter because the PAA is a provincial entity whose elections fall under the supervision of the Punjab Sports Board and the Punjab Olympic Association. The elections were properly observed, and no objections were raised at the time.
The order additionally highlighted the broader implications of the ban for Pakistan’s athletics programme. Butt has been central to Arshad Nadeem’s training, including during the athlete’s landmark achievements at the Paris 2024 Olympics. The adjudicator noted that the AFP’s actions had disrupted preparations for elite competitions, created uncertainty for one of the country’s top athletes, and risked damaging Pakistan’s international sporting reputation.
The case file included written support from Arshad Nadeem himself, who opposed the ban and praised Butt’s contributions.
The proceedings saw legal assistance from the PSB’s advisor, Saif ur Rehman Rao, while the AFP was represented by its president, Brigadier (R) Wajahat Hussain, along with advocate Usman Akram. The adjudicator dismissed the AFP’s objection regarding the maintainability of the petition and affirmed his authority under the PSB Constitution. Following the final order, all professional rights and privileges of Salman Iqbal Butt as a national athletics coach have been fully restored.
