The Athletics Federation of Pakistan has banned Olympic gold medalist Arshad Nadeem’s coach Salman Iqbal Butt, for life, while Syed Habib Shah has been banned for 10 years, for mismanagement and violation of the federation’s constitution.
Olympic gold medalist Arshad Nadeem’s coach Salman Iqbal Butt, has been banned for life. Salman Butt will not be able to participate in any athletics-related activity.
According to sources, the decision has been informed to World Athletics, Asian Athletics and the Pakistan Sports Board.
Sources say that the Athletics Federation has also banned Syed Habib Shah for 10 years.
Salman Butt and Habib Shah were banned for mismanagement and violation of the constitution of the Athletics Federation of Pakistan. Both of them conducted unconstitutional and illegal elections of the Punjab Athletics Association.
The Athletics Federation of Pakistan also declared the Punjab Athletics Association elections null and void on August 31.
Salman Butt and Syed Habib Shah reported on the Punjab Athletics Association elections on August 29. The procedure for the Punjab Athletics elections violated the constitution of the Athletics Federation of Pakistan.
The Athletics Federation had directed the Punjab Athletics Association, through a letter on August 30, to adopt legal procedures for the elections.
Salman Iqbal Butt himself is among the signatories of the constitution of the Athletics Federation. The federation formed an inquiry committee to review the matter of the Punjab Athletics Association.
The inquiry committee had summoned Salman Butt and Habib Shah to present their position and justification, but neither appeared before the inquiry committee, while the committee submitted its report after reviewing the available records.
It may be recalled that Salman Iqbal Butt was appointed by AFP as Arshad Nadeem’s coach after the Tokyo 2021 Olympics, where Arshad came in fifth place in the javelin throw final.
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Since then, Salman Iqbal Butt has brought Arshad Nadeem several honours, including a gold medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, a silver medal at the 2023 World Athletics Championships, and a gold medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
